


Fatal Attraction

by jdmfanfiction



Category: Magic City
Genre: 1950s, 1960s, Angst, Cheating, Danger, F/M, Family, Magic City - Freeform, Miramar Playa, Romance, Secrets, Violence, lounge singer, relationship, vintage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2017-09-02
Packaged: 2018-12-03 05:37:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 28,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11525640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jdmfanfiction/pseuds/jdmfanfiction
Summary: Diana is newly married to Ben Diamond, also known as The Butcher. However, after meeting Ike Evans, the charming older gentleman of the Miramar Playa, she can’t help but indulge in an intimate relationship with the man. Can she keep this a secret from her dangerous husband?(Ike Evans x OFC)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> HUGE THANK YOU TO hawtdiggitynegan (on Tumblr) FOR THIS IDEA!!! Give her some love and check out the stories that she has written because they’re fucking good. I can’t wait for you all to read this and what we both have in store for this! It’s going to be hot. I mean, I included smut in the first chapter. Stay tuned! ;-)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: _Only You_ by Brenda Lee

“Are you going to make it tonight, Ben?” Diana asked, walking up to her husband and placing her hands on his chest.

His smile was small and when she thought he was going to give her affection, she was immediately disappointed as his hands grabbed her wrists and gently removed her hands from his body.

“I can’t tonight, baby. Next time, I promise.”

 _That’s what he said last time_ , she thought.

“Oh, okay…”

“Don’t wait up for me,” he kissed her cheek, pulling away too quickly that Diana wasn’t able to revel in the brief kiss.

She watched him get into the backseat of his car with his men and speed away without a second thought. Diana didn’t know this was the life she was going to have to live after agreeing to marry him. Ben changed after their honeymoon and it seemed like she didn’t even know him at all anymore.

Diana walked back into the mansion and into her room, which was separate from Ben’s. They didn’t even sleep in the same room as one another and when they were intimate, Ben didn’t dare touch her. He liked to watch, but never touch. It was odd and very different from their honeymoon.

Since moving to Florida, Diana heard many rumors about Ben. She always wondered what he did for a living, but he simply answered with “business” and shrugged it off as if it wasn’t important. Still, though, that didn’t mean that Diana didn’t hear rumors about his so-called “business.”

He was supposedly known as The Butcher and if that nickname didn’t terrify her, the stories did. Ben was ruthless and a murderer, never blinking an eye to kill people for his personal gain.

However, Diana assumed they were just _rumors_. Ben was her husband and as a doting, loyal wife, she had to trust him. Though, it had been six months since their honeymoon and the moment they landed in Florida, his demeanor changed.

They had been going from having sex nearly every day to nothing at all. He was busy, as he said, but Diana was beginning to learn that maybe the rumors weren’t rumors at all. Maybe they were the truth and simply warnings for her to leave.

Ben had been married twice before her and coincidentally, both women died during childbirth. It seemed too ironic for _both_ women to have complications during their pregnancy leading to the birth of their child.

Regardless, Diana told herself to never push Ben to the edge. She had been walking on eggshells around him since moving and she was desperate for human interaction.

Ben and Diana met at one of her shows and he was immediately captivated by her beauty and her angelic voice. Seeing her on stage and hearing her sing in that beautiful gown, Ben knew that he wanted her and whatever Ben wanted, he got.

She convinced him to allow her to continue singing since they moved. He was reluctant at first, but ultimately found a reason to flaunt his new wife in the best possible way. She was beautiful _and_ she was talented.

Diana finished getting ready. She was supposed to perform at the Miramar Playa tonight and was extremely excited. She heard that this hotel had become very popular in the past few years since it opened. There was a big party happening in one of the hotel’s main ballroom and this allowed Diana a chance to mingle and showcase her talent in one night.

Her hair was perfectly curled, applying a pin to one side to hold it back and away from her face. She was dressed in a black gown that reached the floor and showcased her curves; it was sleeveless, sleek, and had a deep low v-cut to expose her chest. Diana finally applied her deep red lipstick after sliding her feet into her heels. As she stood from her seat, she looked herself over and grinned. She was ready.

There was a driver waiting for her at the front of the mansion, leaning against the car. Diana smiled politely, avoiding the man’s lingering gaze on her body.

“Evening, Mrs. Diamond,” he smiled politely.

“Hi. I’m all set and ready to go,” she replied.

The man opened the door for her and Diana smiled in response. As she slid into the car, she placed her bag on her lap and watched the man shut the door and climb into the driver’s seat. Without hesitation, he started the car and began driving to the Miramar Playa.

While she was excited, Diana was also nervous. She always had nerves before going on stage, but she knew that when the lights would hit her and the microphone would be within arm’s reach, she would be fine. She just hoped the few songs she was going to sing tonight would be more than satisfactory.

Diana felt the car stop. She had been thinking so much that she didn’t realize they finally arrived. As she stepped out the car, Diana was taken aback by the beauty of the hotel. It was right on the beach and she yearned to just ditch the dress and go for a swim. Hopefully, though, this wasn’t going to be her last visit to the beautiful hotel.

“Miss Diana, right this way,” a bellboy said, smiling at her politely. “Mr. Evans is currently preparing for the party tonight, but he had me escort you to your changing room.”

“Changing room? I didn’t think I was supposed to bring any clothes,” she responded, biting her lower lip.

“Nonsense. I’m sure Mr. Evans planned ahead.”

He led Diana throughout the main lobby of the hotel, leaving her driver outside to smoke. She was fascinated, looking around with wide eyes and a small smile on her lips. Once at the room, the bellboy smiled and held the door open.

“I’ll let Mr. Evans know that you’re here. Help yourself to some food that we laid out for you, and good luck out there,” he grinned.

“Oh, thank you.” The young man shut the door and Diana arched a brow, looking at the assortment of snacks on the table. She looked herself over in the mirror and bit her lower lip. They were treating her like she was some big celebrity that it just made her even more nervous.

After a few minutes, there was a knock on the door. Diana opened it to reveal a man in a well-tailored suit with soft eyes and a small smile that showcased his dimples. She cleared her throat. He was _handsome_ and Diana knew that thinking about having sex with him was technically cheating, but she couldn’t help it.

It was hard to look away from him.

“Diana, right?” he smiled, his voice deep and husky.

“Mhm…” she answered. “That’s me.”

“Mind if I come in?”

“Um…”

He chuckled, keeping his hands in his pockets. “Oh, sorry. I’m Ike Evans. Owner of the Miramar Playa. I probably should have started with that, huh?”

Diana blushed, “Probably, but come in.”

He stepped inside, glancing around the room before turning his attention back to her. Diana watched as his eyes ran over her frame, but he maintained a neutral expression. She couldn’t read him, but the smile was still on his lips.

“You look gorgeous,” he complimented.

“Oh, thank you. I hear it’s a big party. I’ve got to impress you somehow,” she teased.

Ike chuckled, taking one hand from his pocket to run through his hair absently. “I’ve got a few other singers after you, so if you’d like to stay after your set, you are more than welcome to.”

“Thank you, Mr. Evans.”

He shook his head, “Ike. Call me Ike. Mr. Evans makes me feel old.” he laughed.

“Well…” she grinned.

“We just met and already you’re teasin’ me,” he winked.

Diana bit her lower lip. It had been a long time since she was given this much attention from the opposite sex that she was yearning for more. He was tall, handsome, and she wanted _him_.

“Should I stop then?” Diana smiled.

Ike took a step forward into her personal space, looking down at her. “Don’t. I kinda like it.”

She licked her lips slowly, her red plump lips begging to be kissed. Diana looked directly into Ike’s eyes and smiled, “Well, I should probably get ready.”

Ike nodded, walking towards the door. He turned to look over his shoulder and smiled, “You’re trouble, aren’t you, Miss Diana?”

“I don’t know. Maybe you should find out for yourself,” she winked.

“I think that answers my question. I’ll see you out there, Diana,” Ike chuckled, closing the door behind him.

Diana sat at the chair and sighed to herself, shutting her eyes as her mind drifted to Ike. She couldn’t even think about Ben whatsoever. At first, she was excited to come to the Miramar Playa and perform, but now she was more excited to see Ike again.

A couple of minutes passed when there was a faint knock at the door once more. It was the same bellboy from earlier to tell her that the party had begun and they were waiting for her to come onto stage.

She nodded, reapplying her red lipstick and walking out of the room. Diana followed the bellboy into the main ballroom, immediately noticing the stage. She stepped onto it, her heels clicking against the floor and when she got up to the mic, the spotlight faced her and instantly, Diana smiled.

Her eyes scanned the room and when she found Ike standing with a few other men, the song began and the band started to play.

Diana kept her eyes locked onto his, despite the spotlight making him a dark shadow. She held the microphone stand and began singing, her voice carrying through the room effortlessly. The song hadn’t been directed to anyone, but she made sure that when she looked at Ike, she meant every word.

She was playing with fire, but he was giving her a thrill that she hadn’t felt before. Diana gently dragged the stand lightly along the stage as she sang through the song, biting her lower lip seductively when there was a break in the song.

Diana felt the tension surround the air as the song slowly came to an end. As the spotlight moved with her, she had a better glimpse of Ike who looked entranced by her movements and voice. She smiled at him, finishing the song with a gradual fade. She bit her lower lip when she heard the claps from the many people that occupied the ballroom.

She sang two more songs until the other singers were next. As she did, she noticed that Ike was nowhere to be seen, so she focused on her vocals and playing the crowd. Diana loved being on stage and showcasing her talent. She was humble, but she knew she was good.

After her set, Diana walked off stage and went back to her changing room. She debated on going back to attend the party as a guest, but decided against it. She didn’t know how Ben would react if he knew that her singing was an excuse to go to parties.

Just as Diana was going to reach for the snacks on the table, there was a soft knock at the door. She arched a brow and opened it to reveal Ike who stepped inside without asking this time around. He locked it behind him and smiled, tilting his head.

“I loved your performance,” he said.

Diana smiled, walking back to the table. She leaned over it to look at herself in the mirror, her backside sticking out as she reapplied her red lipstick. “Thank you,” she muttered.

Ike cleared his throat, his eyes raking over the tightness of her dress. He walked over to her and rested his hands along her sides, running it down to rest on her hips as he pressed himself against her.

She gasped, looking up at him through the mirror as she dropped her lipstick onto the table.

“Ike?”

“I just met you, but there’s something about you that I want more of,” he admitted. “I want to get to know you.”

Diana stood upright, his arm snaking around her waist and keeping her flush against his front. “We can’t, Ike…”

Ike noticed how she hadn’t pushed him away yet. He knew she wanted this too, so he hesitantly dipped his head lower to lightly kiss along her exposed neck due to the pin holding her hair back. “Why not?”

“I – It’s complicated… My god,” she moaned, his lips brushing against her hot spots. Diana felt her lower half throb, yearning for the lack of attention that its received. She tried to think of Ben, but with Ike’s strong arms holding her against him, his lips on her neck, and his front pressing against her, she couldn’t think of anything but _Ike_.

“Ike…” she repeated.

He turned her around slowly, hoisting her onto the table and pulling her to the edge. Her gown was long, so it was difficult to part her legs, but Ike kept his distance while keeping his hands on her hips. “If you want me to leave, tell me and I will go right out that door and act like nothing happened.”

Diana stared at him. He was being serious. She contemplated on telling him to leave, but there was something in his eyes that wanted him to stay. It wasn’t only the sex that she wanted. Ike was piquing her curiosity and while she had temptations before him, no one ever got close enough to breaking that wall to get to her.

She was still married, but Ike was at the forefront of her mind. Ben had become an afterthought.

As the slow seconds trickled by, Ike took a step back. He assumed she wanted him to leave.

“All right, Diana. Good night,” he whispered.

Diana shook her head and tugged on his wrist, pulling him back to her. She looked into his eyes and cupped his cheeks, leaning in to press her lips lightly against his. She whimpered instantly at the feel of his soft lips against her own. It was as if they were made for one another at how easily they began kissing; it seemed almost too normal and familiar.

“You want this?” he asked, pulling back to look into her eyes.

“Yes… I want this. I want _you_ , Ike.”

He nodded, smiling and pressing his lips onto hers again. Ike hiked her gown upwards, bunching the material in his hands and lifting it to her hips. Diana lifted herself for her dress to continue to lift from her legs.

Once it rested on her hips, Ike ran his hands along her soft, smooth thighs. He parted his lips, allowing Diana’s tongue to flick against his own and he eagerly groaned at the sensation, bringing his hands to her hips and gripping it to pull her further to the edge.

She gasped, parting her legs even further. Sitting at the edge of the table, Ike pressed against her and allowed her to feel his growing bulge from within his suit pants. She was soaked and he could feel it through the material of her lacy underwear.

“Do you always dress like this underneath your clothes?” Ike asked, moving his lips across her throat to her collarbone where he slowly lifted one of its sleeves down her arm.

“Mhm… A woman’s got to have sexy lingerie,” she smiled, shivering against his soft kisses.

Ike groaned at her answer, pulling back to look into her eyes. “Are you messing with me?”

Diana licked her red lips, shaking her head. “Not about that.”

He narrowed his eyes, pushing your panties aside and running his slender finger along your slit as your wetness coated the tip of his finger. Ike grinned, pulling back to bring his finger to his lips, groaning at the sweet taste it left on his lips.

“Ike, please… I can’t wait any longer. I need this,” she moaned, dropping her hands to undo his belt.

He smiled, leaning down to kiss along her neck as he allowed her to undo his pants. Once Diana removed the buckle from the belt, Ike took initiative and pulled his zipper down and undid the button from his pants.

Diana looked up at him before dropping her eyes to his lower half. Quickly, she pushed down his pants and watched as the article of clothing (along with his boxers) dropped to the floor to pool around his ankles. Then, she caught sight of his erected manhood standing full at attention and begging to slide into something warm and tight.

She reached out and ran her fingertips down his throbbing cock, feeling the warmth and his pulsating vein from her touch. Diana parted her legs, sliding further down the edge of the table as Ike took a step forward.

“Are you sure you want this?” he asked.

“Yes… Stop asking and give it to me,” she growled.

Ike smirked, flashing her his dimples once more. He gently pushed her hand away so that he could grasp himself. Slowly, he brought the tip of his cock to press against Diana’s entrance, groaning.

“Fuck, Diana…” he mumbled, pushing his hips forward as he finally sunk into her depths.

She moaned loudly, arching her back as she moved her hands to grip the edges of the table for stability. Diana was not expecting him to be this large and despite stroking his cock just a few moments ago, it was different now that he was stretching her from the inside.

“Oh my god, Ike…” she moaned, tossing her head back.

Ike looked at her, tugging one side of her dress further down to reveal her breast. He leaned down and latched his lips onto her nipple, sucking it with occasional flicks of his tongue as his hips began to thrust into you in a rhythmic pace.

Diana’s hands move to Ike’s hair, threading her fingers through his locks as he continued to pay attention to her breast. His hips did all the work and Diana knew she wouldn’t be able to last. It had been so long and her fingers weren’t helping whatsoever.

Ike was giving her more pleasure than any other man (including Ben) had given her. He pulled back to look into her eyes, bringing a hand to cup her cheek.

“Open your eyes, Diana,” he whispered.

She leaned against his touch and opened her eyes to look into his own. Diana bit her lower lip, his hips slamming into hers causing her orbs to widen at the sudden hard thrust. He was filling her to the hilt that gave her the sensation of being filled in the right places.

“Damn, you’re so beautiful,” he repeated.

Diana wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him in for a kiss. She moaned against him, her walls beginning to tighten around his member as he moved in and out of her rapidly without any sign of stopping.

“I – I’m close!” she moaned against his lips, pulling back to dig her nails into his suit jacket. “Ike…”

“Come for me,” he whispered huskily. “Come all over my dick.”

At his choice of words, Diana held onto him tightly and wrapped her legs around his waist as her walls tightened and she felt her climax rush through her body unexpectedly. Ike groaned, her warm abyss tighter than ever.

“Fuck,” he cursed, slamming his hips repeatedly into her.

After a few thrusts, Ike pulled out and covered his tip as he released over his hand. Diana watched him carefully as his face contorted into pleasure. He had thrown his head back and his mouth was slightly agape once he released his own climax. She realized that his release was now all over his hand and she smiled, grasping his wrist and bringing each of his fingertips to her lips to suck off his sticky, white liquid.

“Dirty, dirty girl,” he smirked.

“Mm, _delicious_ ,” Diana replied with a grin, reaching over for a napkin to wipe the rest of his release from his hand.

Ike pulled his pants back up and recomposed himself to make it look like nothing happened. She smiled, the thrill of getting caught was running through her veins and she stood from the table to resituate her panties and lower her gown. Diana covered her breast and looked up at Ike, licking her lips.

Just as she was going to speak, there was a knock at the door and she widened her eyes.

“Diana, we’ve gotta go.” It was her driver. She really hoped that he didn’t hear anything.

“Yeah, I’m coming! Give me a second,” she answered.

Ike looked down at her, “Oh yeah, you definitely were coming.”

Diana giggled, grabbing a napkin and writing her number down. Ike looked over her shoulder and smiled to himself. She turned to face him and placed the napkin into his jacket, placing a gentle kiss on his lips.

“Call me,” she smiled.

“And you know where to call me,” he answered with a grin.

**\---**

During the ride back to the mansion, Diana couldn’t help but think about Ike. His dimples, his gorgeous brown orbs, his deep voice, his soft lips caressing her skin, his hands gripping her tightly, and his hips slamming into her… She couldn’t get him out of her mind and she was certain that she didn’t want to.

“All right. You’re home. You know the rules. No leaving until Ben comes back,” her driver said.

“I know. Thank you for driving me.”

He nodded, giving her another lingering gaze before turning away to light his cigarette.

Diana quickly entered the mansion and decided to take a bath. She poured herself a glass of wine and ran the water in the large bathtub. She could touch herself at the thought of Ike and she was sure that she would reach climax.

After removing her clothes and the water finished filling the tub, she entered and slowly lowered herself into the sudsy water. She brought the glass of wine to her lips and smiled at the taste, shutting her eyes and leaning her head back.

Stuck in her thoughts, Diana didn’t notice that Ben had entered the bathroom. He kneeled next to the tub and gently ran his fingertips across her cheek lightly.

“Hey, baby…” he cooed.

Diana flinched, opening her eyes and biting her lower lip at the sight of Ben despite her mind being occupied by Ike. “You scared me,” she feigned a fake giggle.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. Did you do well tonight?” Ben asked.

“Absolutely. I had a great time performing like always. The crowd loved it.”

Ben grinned, leaning in to kiss her cheek. Diana shut her eyes and imagined Ike, but there was a faint scent of perfume that lingered around Ben that did _not_ belong to her. She never thought she would get cheated on, but she couldn’t get angry because she did the same tonight.

Instead, she forced a smile and turned her head to kiss his cheek as well. “Thank you for allowing me to perform.”

Ben smiled, “You know you’re my favorite right?”

Diana didn’t understand his question, but she simply nodded. After their brief conversation, Ben left the bathroom. She shut her eyes and suddenly felt very dirty about herself. However, she felt dirty that she was married to Ben and not that she cheated on him.

She knew that Ben had other women, but to _smell_ it on him was different. It confirmed her silent accusations and she wanted nothing more than to be with Ike.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **WARNING:** Phone sex (dirty talk), masturbation!

Diana had fallen asleep with the thought of Ike and his gentlemanly ways. Not only was she enamored by his charm, but he had also given her the pleasure that she had been needing and it was better with him than it was with Ben. She knew that partaking in an affair was dangerous, but there was something about Ike that she wanted more of. 

That morning, however, Diana was standing in the kitchen making breakfast for herself and Ben. She tried to rid herself of the lingering thoughts of Ike and attempted to maintain a neutral expression. She didn’t want Ben finding out that just a few months after their honeymoon, she had already cheated on him. 

Ben walked into the kitchen dressed as if he was ready to do business. Though, Diana never thought it was a good idea to ask questions. 

“Good morning,” Diana smiled, walking to Ben and leaning on her toes to peck his lips. She was disappointed when he turned his head, her lips coming in contact with his cheek. “I’m making breakfast and coffee is finished.”

Ben looked down at her. “You shouldn’t be doing all of this.” 

“What? Why not? I always wanted to cook breakfast for my husband before he goes to work,” Diana forced a smile, turning back to the stove to continue cooking the scrambled eggs.

“Diana, as my wife, you are meant to be my eye-candy. That’s all. Cooking is not necessary. In fact, I don’t want you to do it anymore. I can have someone else make me my breakfast,” he snarled.

“But Ben --”

“I’m sorry. Are you disagreeing with me?” he asked, stepping towards her threateningly. Though while his eyes were fueled with anger, his sinister smile revealed that he was capable of hurting her if the need called for it. 

“N -- no…” Diana replied shakily.

“That’s a good girl. Now, clean up this mess.” Ben grinned, kissing her forehead lightly before he pointed to the door. “I’ll be gone most of the day.”

Diana nodded, biting her lower lip and wringing her hands together nervously. At the back of her mind, she didn’t know what she was supposed to do with her time alone. Since meeting Ike last night, Diana had begun to think how her life would have been if he was her husband and not Ben. 

As Ben walked away from her, Diana couldn’t help but feel anger and irritation running through her veins. Though, her expression neutralized when he turned around and pointed a finger.

“Oh, I almost forgot,  _ darling _ ,” he chuckled. “Take a few laps around the pool. Maybe do some running. I want my wife with  _ the _ best physique.”

Diana cleared her throat, nodding in understanding. Once she heard the door close and the sound of a car engine revving up, she quickly tossed the food in the trash and turned the stove off. All of a sudden, she was feeling insecure about herself. Ben knew just exactly what words to say to get under her skin. She had been a naive young woman to think that Ben really loved her. 

She quickly walked to her room, sitting on her bed and pulling the phone onto her lap. Diana needed to talk to someone or else the tears that were now falling down her face were just going to continue without any signs of stopping. 

Dialing the number to Ike’s hotel, she hoped that he wouldn’t be able to tell her quiet sniffling. In fact, not only was she lying to Ben, but she was also lying to Ike. He didn’t know that she was married to a man who was rumored to be extremely dangerous. Either way, Diana didn’t want him to find out. She would tell him when she was ready. 

As his secretary answered the phone, Diana immediately replied and mentioned that it was the woman from the night who sang at the party. After being transferred to Ike’s direct line, Diana felt her heart skip a beat at the sound of voice. He sounded even sexier through the phone.

“ _ Miss  _ Diana,” he grinned.

“Ike Evans.”

“Miss me?” 

“More than you know,” Diana admitted, sniffling quietly and pulling the phone away from her ear so that he wouldn’t hear it.

“Is everything okay?” Ike asked. 

“What makes you think that they aren’t?” 

“I don’t know. You just sound --”

“I’m fine,” she interrupted.

Ike sighed. “Whatever you say. Why’d you call?”

Diana didn’t know the answer to that. She did miss him and the way he looked at her made her feel like she was special, the most beautiful woman that he had ever seen. When Ike looked at her, Diana felt gorgeous and she had simply met him last night. 

Though, she knew he wasn’t anything like Ben. 

“I don’t know honestly,” she said truthfully.

“Well, I’ve got about thirty minutes before I head into a meeting. What would you like to talk about, Diana?” 

“Tell me something about you,” she suggested, lying back on her bed and holding the phone up to her ear. 

“Something about me? It’s only fair that you return the favor too, okay?”

“All right. Now, go on.”

Ike chuckled. “I’ve got three kids. Two are adults and one’s nearing her teen years.”

“Oh good luck with the teen,” she teased.

Laughter from the other end filtered her ears, causing her to smile broadly. Diana shut her eyes and tried to imagine him standing before her, holding her in his arms. She didn’t know when she was going to see him next, but Diana knew that it would be soon. 

The one time tryst in her dressing room was going to happen again. 

“Now, it’s your turn, Diana.” 

She bit her lower lip. Diana couldn’t think of anything that didn’t involve her admitting the truth that she was married. Deep down, she was afraid that if Ike found out, he was going to end their brief affair for good.

“I always loved singing, but more than that, I’ve always wanted to have kids,” she admitted. The last time she told Ben that she wanted children, it resulted in a big argument and he left for an entire weekend only to come back and act like nothing happened. 

“Why’s that?” 

“I don’t know. I always imagine taking my kids to school, making their lunches, having them bounce on my bed when it’s Christmas morning…” she sighed, shutting her eyes. Ben didn’t want kids and the more she found herself thinking of Ike, the more she realized that she didn’t really love Ben. Diana had fallen in love with the idea of the possible marriage they could have but didn’t. 

“Sounds like you’re meant to be a mom, Diana,” he smiled through the phone. Diana could practically see his dimpled grin and alluring eyes. 

“One day,” she shrugged. “I hope so at least.”

There was a comfortable silence that settled between them, but Diana could faintly hear his breathing. She felt like she could fall asleep to the sound of his voice, to the soft soothing sounds of his heartbeat. 

“What are you wearing?” he asked, interrupting the peacefulness that she felt.

A quiet giggle escaped her lips. “Really?” 

“Just wondering. You were absolutely gorgeous last night and I’m sure you’re looking just as beautiful right now,” he smiled.

“You’re a charmer, aren’t you, Ike?”

“That’s a question for you to answer, Diana.”

The previous tears that stained her cheeks had dried up and the insecurities she felt due to Ben’s off-handed insult was replaced with a blush and the feeling of confidence. There was something about Ike that she realized she was beginning to like: everything he said, he meant. 

“Well, you’ve got the looks for it,” she smiled.

“Oh yeah?”

“Don’t tell me that you don’t think you’re handsome, Ike. I mean, I’ve never seen a man pull off a suit quite like you do,” Diana complimented.

Ike chuckled, using a hand to run over his face absently. “You’re flattering me, Diana.”

“I call it like I see it.” 

“Though, you still haven’t answered my question.”

“What was it again?” she lied.

Ike smirked to himself. “What are you wearing?”

“What if I said  _ nothing _ ?”

Diana heard him growl from the phone and she felt herself become wet at the mere sound. She bit her lower lip, shrugging off her panties and letting it fall to the floor as she spread her legs. 

“Are you lying to me?” he asked, his voice an octave lower.

“I’m touching myself at the thought of you,  _ Ike _ …”

Grunting, Ike moved a hand to his crotch and slowly began to palm himself. “Is that so? You had me once and now you can’t get enough?” 

“Mm, says the one who jumped me first,” she teased, slowly circling her clit and eliciting a quiet moan.

“Fuck, Diana… Tell me. Tell me what you’re doing, baby. I want to know.”

“Ike…” she moaned, shutting her eyes and arching her back as she inserted a finger into her depths. Diana imagined that Ike was in this room with her as her mind replayed last night’s events over and over again. “I want you so bad,” she muttered.

Ike smirked, tossing his head back against his chair as he dropped a hand to undo the zipper and button of his pants. As he pulled his erected manhood out of its confines, Ike shut his eyes and imagined Diana’s beautiful, perfect body from last night. “Damn, baby… I bet you’re all wet just at the sound of my voice, aren’t you? Wishing that I was there to help you out firsthand? Tell me, Diana, are you touching yourself at the thought of me? At the thought of me pounding into your sweet, tight pussy like last night?”

Diana bit her lower lip. Hearing his dirty talk through the phone made her miss his touch even more. They didn’t know much about each other, but their connection was not only physical. It was obvious that they wanted to get to know more about one another. 

“Fuck, Ike…  _ Yes _ …” she moaned aloud.

Ike pumped himself faster, tightening his grip as he imagined Diana standing right in front of him. He rubbed his thumb over his leaking tip and growled, shuddering in his seat. It wasn’t the same intensity that he had felt last night, but it would have to do. For now.

“That’s right, Diana… Touch that pussy for me. Damn, I wish I was there to lick you all up, to taste your sweet sex,” he growled into the phone. “Are you wet, baby? Dripping wet for me?” 

“Yes!” she exclaimed, entering another finger into her depths as she quickened her pace. Diana could feel herself getting closer and closer to her own release as her imagination focused on the way Ike slammed into her from behind, the feel of his dick ramming into her tightness with such ferocity. 

She needed him. Badly. 

“God, I can’t wait to taste you… To feel your tight pussy wrap around my dick like last night, baby,” he groaned, the movement of his hand quickening. Ike hadn’t been with another woman since his wife passed, but Diana caught his interest almost instantaneously. “Did you like how I pounded into you, Diana? The way my dick felt slamming into you?” 

“Yes, Ike! I need you!” she moaned, her wetness coating her fingers as she turned to lie on her abdomen as she rocked her hips into her hand. Diana knew this wasn’t going to help the fact that she was now feeling horny, but Ike’s deep voice and dirty talk made up for it. 

“You’re close, aren’t you? Going to come all over your fingers? Are you imagining that’s my dick, Diana? Stretching you from the inside? Fuck, I need you too…” he pumped himself rapidly, his lower abdomen tightening with the need to release.

“Ike, I’m going to --” suddenly, a loud moan escaped her lips and her walls quivered and tightened after her orgasm hit her like a freight train. Behind closed eyelids, Diana imagined Ike’s face, his alluring eyes and charming smile. 

Ike groaned at the sound of her moaning, gripping the phone while his hand pumped his member until he released with a raise of his hips. He was out of breath, listening to the panting mess of Diana on the other end of the phone. 

“Diana?” he whispered after a few minutes.

“Still here,” she blushed. “I just --”

“I’m going to need to see you again,” Ike interrupted.

“I don’t know, Ike…” 

“You want me just as badly as I need you, Diana. Sing for me one last time. What do you say? My guests loved you.”

“You’re just saying that,” Diana replied, biting her lower lip nervously. She didn’t even know if it was possible to sing for the Miramar Playa after Ben’s subtle outburst this morning. She was merely living with Ben as some sort of trophy wife. 

“Tomorrow night. Same time. I’ll be waiting in your dressing room,” he smiled. “Will I see you there?”

Diana took a deep breath and agreed, “Okay, Ike… I’ll see you there.”

He situated himself once more, tucking his manhood back into his pants and standing from his chair. Ike grabbed a napkin nearby and wiped the release off his hand before shutting his eyes absently. 

“By the way, I love the sound of your moans and the way my name leaves your lips,” he smirked.

“It’s a good thing I’ve got a good imagination then,” Diana replied.

“What were you thinking of?” 

She immediately felt arousal hit her once more. “Riding you.” 

Ike groaned, “Well, we’ll have to make that happen tomorrow night, won’t we?” 

Diana licked her lips, “Oh, we  _ will _ .” 

“Great. I’ll see you tomorrow, Diana.”

“See you then, Ike.”

Before she could hang up, Ike’s voice filtered her ears once more. “Oh, and Diana?”

“Yes?”

“You’re amazingly beautiful. I can’t wait for my breath to be taken away from me tomorrow.” 

She blushed, burying her face into the pillow as she felt a flood of butterflies pool at her stomach. Diana felt as if she was transported to a time where she was younger and the hottest, most popular boy in school noticed her. She was on cloud nine. 

“You’re silly, Ike.”

“I call it like I see it,” Ike repeated, a quiet chuckle leaving his lips. “I’ve got a meeting, baby. I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

When Diana hung up, she set the phone aside and shut her eyes. She knew it was dangerous to be in an affair with another man that wasn’t Ben, but she couldn’t stop herself. Though, the feeling of bliss disappeared when she realized that the man that was coming home wasn’t Ike, but  _ Ben _ . 

After this morning’s incident, she realized that she wasn’t happy at all. Ben was controlling and manipulative and every moment leading to her meeting Ike had been something she thought was normal. Diana lost sight of what she really wanted out of life when she married Ben, but Ike showed her a glimpse of a happy lifestyle. 

Diana didn’t know how long this affair was going to continue, but she just hoped that at the end of it all, she would end up with Ike and not Ben.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to make Ike find out a bit later in the story, but I couldn’t help it. I needed the angst. Fast, lol. Things are heating up now that Ike knows who Diana is and just exactly _who_ she belongs to.

Ike wasn’t expecting Diana to cancel last minute. Though, as a businessman, he was always prepared so he managed to have Stevie call for the back-up singer just in the event the main entertainer called out. He was a bit baffled by her sudden need to pull out of the show without warning him. She sounded rushed on the phone and the call ended way too quickly for his liking.

He wondered if he had misread their relationship and even if he did, Ike was a man who got what he wanted and he definitely wanted Diana.

The following morning after her missed show, Diana knew it was becoming dangerous to continue this affair. Ben had told her last night that she would no longer sing since a wife of his was meant to stay home and wait for his arrival like a good woman. It was sickening and sexist, but Diana had to abide by his wishes. More and more, a new layer of Ben was revealed and she had grown to be terrified of him.

“Honey,” he called, his arms snaking around her frame from behind. Ben’s lips were grazing along the soft skin across her shoulder, his hands moving to cup her breasts. Before, she would whimper at the slightest of touches but now she froze. It was if she didn’t have any idea who this man she married was.

“Y – Yes?”

“Join me out in the pool?” he grinned against her. “I’m sure the exercise will help and I need some sun.”

Diana nodded, clearing her throat. “Okay. Let me get my bathing suit and –”

“Nope. No bathing suit. No need for it.” Ben pulled away and looked down at her, slowly undoing her robe to see that she was wearing a simple black nightgown. His eyes darkened immediately, but all she could imagine and think of was Ike.

“But Ben, your friends may see me and –”

“No. Bathing. Suit,” he interrupted. “What I say goes. Let them stare. You’re mine. They know not to touch what is mine,” he growled obsessively.

“All right, Ben.”

“That’s a good girl,” he smiled. “I’ll see you out there.”

Diana quickly walked to her room, trying to force her tears back. She didn’t know who this man was anymore. He wasn’t charming any longer and the more he touched her, the more she felt disgusted. She went to bed every night touching herself per Ben’s request, but the only reason why she was able to get off was because she thought of Ike.

After stripping from her clothes, she grabbed a robe and a towel and descended the stairs. Any woman would kill to be in her position – doting wife living in a mansion being able to get everything and anything she wanted. It sounded like a dream come true, but it wasn’t. All the luxuries in the world weren’t free and there was always a cost. In this situation, it cost Diana her happiness and freedom.

She descended the stairs and walked to the large backyard. Ben was just removing his robe when he spotted her. He grinned, twirling a finger in the air.

“Take it off,” he ordered.

Diana took a breath and undid the robe, letting it fall from her shoulder to pool around her ankles. She was bare underneath and the way Ben was looking at her simply sickened her to her stomach.

“That’s more like it.”

He ordered Al to get him a drink while he sat at the lounge chair, adjusting it so he was lying back. Ben put on his sunglasses and lied across the chair, allowing his body to soak in the Miami sun. He heard a splash in the water and lifted his head just slightly to see Diana diving into the pool with such grace. His previous two wives didn’t work out, but Ben hoped that Diana would.

Diana found it easier to hold her breath underneath the water and she didn’t come up for air until she was panting for it. She rested her hands against the edge of the pool for a few moments before continuing the laps around the pool. Her mind was racing. There was no way she could leave Ben and even if she did, there would be a consequence for it. She left her past life to marry a man she barely knew and no one back home would help her.

Diana was truly alone and the only person she could rely on was Ike. She wondered if he was upset that she had to cancel last night. Was he waiting for her in her changing room like he said he would? Was he disappointed that she cancelled? The thoughts lingered in her mind and she hadn’t realized that she had been under the water for almost five minutes.

Just as she popped her head to the surface, Diana saw a pair of black dress shoes approaching the pool. She giggled, watching the water splash onto the expensive shoes. Though, when she looked up, her breath was immediately taken from her.

It was _Ike_.

He looked hurt, angry, but most of all surprised. Though, Ike looked down into the clear water and realized that she was completely naked. He bit his lower lip and glanced over at Ben who seemed unfazed by his arrival.

“You can stop staring, Isaac,” Ben laughed, his hands resting behind his head casually. “She’s a beauty, isn’t she?”

Ike tightened his jaw. “You must be Diana,” he forced a smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Diamond.”

She could sense the strain in his voice. Diana didn’t mean for him to find out like this. Her eyes softened and expressed an apologetic gaze that he quickly ignored by sliding his sunglasses on.

He stood upright and tightened his jaw once more, walking towards Ben. Ike sat at the chair nearby and watched as Diana exited the pool. The water trickled down her bare body and while he was hurt by her secret, he was still very much attracted to her. Ike draped a leg over the other and watched as she wrapped the robe around herself once more. She swept her hair to the side and looked up at him, sighing quietly before she left Ben and Ike to talk.

“She’s gorgeous, right?” Ben laughed.

“Very. Congratulations on the new wife.”

Ben lowered his sunglasses to look over at Ike. “What’s up, Isaac? How can I help you today?”

“You’ve gotta get these union workers off my ass, Ben. They’re bad for my business which ultimately makes it bad for you as well,” Ike reasoned. “Frank Sinatra is set to perform tomorrow night and if they’re not gone by midnight tonight, there’s no chance he’s going to perform at all.”

Ben laughed, looking over at the younger man. “Oh, Isaac. What do you want me to do? I know I’m your partner, but what have you done for _me_?”

“We’ve made more than we ever had in the past year alone, Ben. We are making more as we speak. With Sinatra performing, we are marketing the Miramar Playa for future performances for other musicians and potentially television networks. You are getting –”

Ben was sipping at his drink before he slammed it onto the pavement roughly. The glass shattered and managed to prick Ike at the corner of his eye. Ike flinched, bringing his fingertips to touch the new cut and felt blood stain his fingers.

“Do not talk to me like I am stupid, Isaac. I am not getting anything. My percentage in your hotel isn’t enough for me to make _anything_. I am a businessman, just like you. I know what is going on,” Ben snarled. “Now, you come here into my home and ask _me_ for a favor? Let me ask again, Isaac. What have _you_ done for _me_? What _will_ you do for me?”

Isaac tightened his jaw. “Increase by five percent. I’ll put your share to fifteen percent, Ben.”

“Twenty.”

“Not possible. Fifteen is my final offer.”

Ben chuckled, looking over at Ike through the top of his sunglasses. “You know what, Isaac, _okay_. Fifteen percent _and_ you get the Senator to pass gambling as legal. I’ll take care of your little problem.”

Ike wanted to punch the smug look off Ben’s face, but he couldn’t. This was his partner and he knew what Ben was capable of; his name was The Butcher for a reason. Ben tossed Ike a towel and motioned to the cut, “Have Diana fix that up for you. I’ll see you tomorrow night, Isaac?”

Ike stood, nodding. “You’ve got a table at the front where Sinatra will be performing. Thank you, Ben.” Without another word, he left him outside and walked back into the house where Diana was bending at the hips to look into the fridge.

He cleared his throat, causing her to flinch and turn around slowly. At the sight of the cut along the corner of his eye, Diana widened her eyes and walked over to him. “Are you okay?”

“Patch me up? Husband’s orders,” he spat.

Diana sighed, nodding and motioning for him to sit at the bar stool. She retrieved a first aid kit and set it on the counter, standing between Ike’s legs as she began to dab at his cut carefully.

Ike winced, glancing up at her expectedly before dropping his eyes. “So, you’re Ben’s new wife.”

“I am… I should have told you sooner –”

“You don’t owe me anything, Diana. I won’t take your apology either.”

“I’m sorry, Ike.”

He sighed, shaking his head and pulling away. She wasn’t yet done, but she didn’t push him to stay either. Instead, Diana took a step back and looked at Ike as he remained seated.

“Is that why you cancelled last night?” he asked.

Diana nodded. “I’m so sorry. If things were different –”

“But they’re not, are they?”

She sighed. “I wish they were. I can’t stop thinking about you,” Diana whispered.

Ike shook his head and stood up, grabbing his sunglasses. “We can’t do what we did again,” he muttered. “Ben’s a dangerous man, Diana. Please, be careful.”

If she didn’t feel alone before, she did right now. There was no one she could turn to, nowhere to run. Instead, the one man that she could rely on was now leaving her.

“He’s nothing I can’t handle,” Diana spat. “I can take care of myself.”

“Diana, I’m serious. He’s not a man you want to mess with.”

“Like you care, right? Just get out of my house, Ike.”

“Diana –”

“Get out, Mr. Evans.”

He took a deep breath and nodded. Ike slid his sunglasses on and began walking towards the front door before Ben came back into the house. He turned to look over his shoulder and sighed to himself. Diana was a woman he could see himself with, but finding out that she was married to the most dangerous man that Ike’s ever known was going to be difficult to keep his feelings at bay.

“Still so beautiful,” he whispered. “Whatever Ben says, please remember that about yourself, Diana.”

She didn’t respond but instead ascended the stairs to go to her room. Diana needed to be alone. She needed to think of the next few steps she would take because she was sure she couldn’t continue living like she was now.  


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I have been waiting to write this chapter because of Frank Sinatra, and he’s my absolute favorite singer. Ever. Anyway, I just recently finished the first season of _Magic City_ and while I know how Ben reacts to Lily’s secret, I wanted to go an entirely different route and make him more dangerous than he really is. Enjoy! :-)
> 
> Song: _I've Got You Under My Skin_ by Frank Sinatra
> 
> **WARNING: SMUT!**

Ike didn’t know what to do. Of all things, he hadn’t expected Diana to be _the_ one who was Ben’s new wife. He was at a loss for words. He had grown enamored by the mysterious woman from the moment they met and it was proven that Ike was a man who fell hard. _Quick_. Too fast for his liking.

He was sitting at his desk, eyeing the phone carefully. He wanted to call her, but now that he was aware of her marital status, it was a dangerous contemplation. Ben would not only kill _him_ , but he would kill Diana if he ever found out about their brief affair.

He removed his glasses and placed it on his desk, running a hand over his face with a heavy sigh. Ike was supposed to be ecstatic, excited especially since tonight Frank Sinatra was supposed to perform. However, he was feeling the exact opposite. He knew Ben and Diana would attend the event, but Ike knew that she was off-limits now. He would have to bite his tongue and keep his eyes from lingering.

Ike had to remain professional. With a deep breath, he stood from his desk and decided to get some work done before tonight’s big concert. He was going to make Diana wish that she had him and not the murderous man she was currently married to.

Ben had taken care of the Union protestors like Ike asked, but what the hotel owner didn’t know that it cost him a life. Ike’s dream had always to run his own successful hotel and he would do anything to make sure it was running as smoothly as it was now. He was aware of Ben’s reputation, but that didn’t scare him.

They were partners. Not enemies. _For now_.

Diana stayed in her room the entire day. At first, she was more than ready to leave this mansion and go to the Miramar Playa. She was excited to see Ike rather than the one and only Frank Sinatra. Ben had laid out her white v-cut, sleeveless dress onto her bed with white heels to match. The white gloves were set delicately against the dress along with the jewelry that he wanted her to wear.

Since meeting Ike, Diana had begun to realize just how controlling Ben was. He decided what she would do for the day, what to wear, what to eat. He wasn’t the same man she met before they got married.

“Ben?” Diana called out, leaving her bedroom in nothing but a navy blue robe.

Ben was outside, smoking a cigar and staring at a newspaper. He was surrounded by men that Diana had gotten used to seeing since coming to Miami. “What is it?” he answered.

“Do you want to run me a bath?” she hesitated. Diana mentally gagged, but she needed to make it seem like she was helpless. Ben loved being in charge and by allowing him the power over her, it made him happy.

Ben grinned, looking over at her. He noticed her robe and slowly stood, turning his back to the men that were sitting around the coffee table. He undid the knot to reveal her bare body from underneath the dark fabric. He shifted, his grin turning even more menacing.

“Do you see this boys?” Ben grinned. “Look at how beautiful my wife is.”

Diana blushed, but when she felt the different pairs of eyes staring at her, it wasn’t because she was flattered. No, Diana was embarrassed and she felt violated. She tried to maintain an innocent expression, but the slight tightening of her jaw had been noticed by Ben.

His grin disappeared and he wrapped the robe around her once more. “Go and make your own goddamn bath. I’m a bit busy.”

“Smoking and reading newspapers? Yeah. Sounds busy to me,” she snarled. Diana couldn’t take it. She needed to talk back. She couldn’t bite her tongue after the embarrassment he made her feel.

Ben narrowed his eyes, threatening her with a glare. “Do me a favor and stay out of my business, okay, _Mrs._ Diamond?”

Diana didn’t respond.

“I’m asking you a question, dear. Are we in an understanding?” Ben grasped her chin roughly, staring into her eyes. Tears were beginning to cloud around Diana’s eyes, biting her lower lip to prevent them from falling.

“Y – Yes…”

“Great.” he said, leaning in to kiss her temple. “No panties. No bra.”

Diana nodded, turning on her heel once he finally released her. Once she made it into her bedroom, she shut the door and locked it, slumping to the floor and quietly crying into her hands. Not only was she embarrassed, but she felt violated by Ben forcing his men to look at her bare body. She was also more than afraid of him now. It seemed like the rumors she had ignored were true after all.

After she wiped her eyes clear of the tears, Diana glanced at the phone. She wondered if Ike would take her call if she decided to phone him, but instead of giving into that temptation, she stood from the ground and walked to the bathroom. She wasn’t going to let either men get into her head.

Diana had lived a life without Ben and without Ike… She could do it again.

**\---**

Diana spent the rest of the day getting ready. She was going to see Ike again and there was a desire to look good, not for her husband, but for _Ike_. Though, she wondered if he was going to bring a date of her own and the thought of seeing Ike with another woman made her insides turn.

Ben was cheating on her. It was obvious after the first time she smelled another woman’s scent on him. Though, she didn’t feel jealousy. She didn’t feel the need to confront him about it, despite their commitment to one another. Ben was a man who would do whatever he wanted; not even his _wife_ could tell him what to do.

There was a knock at the door after she slid into her white heels. The long white gown reached to the bottom of the floor and it clung to every curve of her body and showcased her cleavage. Diana had slid the white gloves on, extending it to her elbows after placing the jewelry on her body. Her hair was impeccably curled and her make-up remained light. The only color that popped was the red lipstick that was perfectly applied on her plump lips.

The knocking continued and she sighed, walking towards the door. Once she opened it, Diana noticed Al with his hands on his hips and an uninterested look on his face.

“Are you about done?” he asked. “Boss is waiting for you. He’s getting impatient.”

Diana rolled her eyes. “He can wait. I’m almost finished.”

“Diana, you look fine. Let’s get a move on.” Al gently took her elbow and led her out of her bedroom. She glanced at the car that was waiting in the front of their mansion. Diana immediately noticed Ben waiting by the car, holding the door open for her.

“You look great,” Ben grinned. “So beautiful.”

Diana nodded, biting her lower lip. “Thank you, Ben. You look great as well.” She kissed his cheek and slid into the car, glancing over at him once he climbed in to sit next to her.

The entire car ride was quiet. She looked out the window, watching the palm trees sway with the little wind that had swept past. As they neared the Miramar Playa, Diana began to get antsy. She didn’t know what she would do if she saw Ike. She didn’t know if she could keep her resolve like she did back at the mansion.

One of the bellboys quickly walked to the car, opening the door. When he noticed Diana, he smiled and nodded his head. “It’s nice to see you again, Mrs. Diamond.”

“Thank you. It’s nice to be back.”

Ben arched a brow, resting a hand possessively on her lower back. He followed the crowd into the main lobby of the hotel and into the ballroom where there was an array of tables. Ike had given Ben the perfect view of the concert and had them seated at a table in the front.

Diana looked at Ben, waiting for him to hold out her chair like every other gentleman in the room. Though, he just sat down and ordered a drink, laughing with the men he brought with him. He glanced up at her and arched a brow. “Well? Aren’t you going to sit down?”

Diana sighed, nodding. She slid into the chair next to him and ordered a glass of wine, resting her hands on her legs. She glanced around the room, noticing many people flood inside to get to their designated tables. She hadn’t seen Ike yet, so she assumed he was still preparing for tonight’s event.

Upon arriving, Ben hadn’t paid Diana any attention. His hand would linger along her shoulder whenever she would smile politely at another man, but his eyes were focused on the people he was having a conversation with. More and more people arrived and the entire room was packed. She needed fresh air before she started to hyperventilate from being around so many people.

“I’m going to go outside,” she whispered to Ben. “I need a moment.”

Ben looked at her and nodded. “Hurry back.” He turned back to the men he was speaking to and erupted into a fit of laughter, dropping his arm from around her.

Diana quickly left the room, asking the same bellboy if it was possible to go onto the beach at night. He smiled and nodded, pointing the direction to get onto the connected beach. She slid off her heels and welcomed the sand in between her toes, walking dangerously close to the water as the bottom of her dress dragged against the sand.

She stopped just before the water would touch her toes. Diana looked out into the ocean, staring at the constant waves and the moon that reflected beautifully on the water. It was soothing.

Suddenly, she heard someone clear their throat. Diana was afraid it was going to be Ben when she turned around, but she was surprised to see Ike in a black and white suit and a cigarette between his lips.

“You shouldn’t be out here,” he said, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

“Too many people inside. I needed to get away for a bit.”

“Everything okay?”

Diana tightened her jaw. “Everything’s fine.”

“Are _you_ okay?”

“Yes, Ike. I’m fine.”

Ike sighed, glancing around the empty beach. He stepped forward, dropping the cigarette into the sand as he pressed the heel of his foot against the small fire. His hands rested on her hips from behind, dropping down to kiss along her shoulder lightly.

“You said we shouldn’t do this, Ike…” she turned her head to grant him more access, shutting her eyes.

“I can’t get enough of you, Diana…” he admitted.

Slowly, Diana turned around to face him. Her breath was taken away by staring into his chocolate orbs. She rested her hands on his chest and sighed, biting her lower lip. “I can’t either, Ike…”

Groaning, Ike leaned down and captured her lips in a passionate kiss. Diana had never felt anything like it before. He was giving her sensations that no other man had. She parted her lips and felt his tongue flick against her, causing a quiet whimper to escape her lips.

Ike pulled away, only to lie on the beach chair. He pulled her onto his lap and moved a hand underneath her dress, gasping when he felt that she wasn’t wearing any underwear.

“Ben told me not to,” she blushed.

“Well, I should probably thank him.” Ike chuckled, undoing the zipper of his pants. He pulled his member out and slowly slid into her, groaning when he felt her warm walls surround his rigid manhood.

“Ike…” Diana whimpered, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He lied back with her, keeping his hands on her hips as he began a fast pace to thrust upwards. Ike needed for this to be quick; they both still had somewhere to be.

Ike lifted her dress to bunch at her waist, his fingertips digging into the flesh of her buttocks. Suddenly, Diana rested her hands on his shoulders and began moving her hips in a forward and backward motion. Ike stilled his movements, allowing her to ride him vigorously. Every movement of her hips made him groan and inch that much closer to release.

“Diana, baby…” Ike groaned, leaning up to kiss lightly along her neck. He didn’t want to leave any marks even though he wanted to so badly. She wasn’t his to begin with, but Ike was already planning on changing that.

Suddenly, Diana jerked forward and remained still, her walls tightening around his manhood as a strained moan escaped her lips. Ike groaned, shutting his eyes and resting his forehead against her. He repeatedly slammed into her quickly and after a few thrusts, he released inside of her depths.

They both remained lying on the lounge chair for a few minutes, trying to regain their breaths. It was Diana who stood up first, fixing her dress and her hair. She needed to make a quick run to the bathroom to fix her make-up, but other than that, she looked fine and completely unsuspected of the tryst that just transpired.

Ike, however, looked like he had the best fuck of his life. His blazer and dress shirt was wrinkled. His flaccid member was finally being tucked back into his pants and his hair was a complete disheveled mess.

Neither of them said another word. Instead, Diana stepped forward and kissed his cheek, pulling away with a slight linger. Quickly, she grabbed her heels and ran back into the hotel. She walked into the bathroom and into a vacant stall where she cleaned herself up.

Afterwards, Diana emerged from the stall and washed her hands. She reapplied her lipstick and made sure that nothing from her physical features seemed too out of place. She could hear the cheering and laughter come from the ballroom, so she left the bathroom in a hurry and walked back into the large room.

As she scanned the room, Diana noticed that Ike was already sitting at his table with three of his children. She bit her lower lip and walked to a table adjacent to his. She sat next to Ben who turned to look at her with his usual smirk on his lips.

“Feeling better?” Ben asked.

Diana simply nodded, sipping at her unattended glass of wine. Ben’s fingertips ran across her dress, looking down and noticing the sand stained ends of her gown. He arched a brow and glanced around the room, maintaining his grin. Slowly, he leaned forward and began kissing along her neck.

“Ben…” Diana whimpered, trying to feed into his advances. However, as she looked up, she noticed Ike watching them carefully with pained eyes. She sighed heavily, allowing Ben to nibble at places that hadn’t given her the same pleasure it did when Ike would do it.

Though, Ben pulled away when he heard the music starting and the lights being shut off. He glanced at the stage and grinned, the spotlight waiting for the main event performer to appear.

“When we get back to the mansion, you know what to do,” Ben grinned, resting a hand on her leg.

Suddenly, loud cheers erupted when Frank Sinatra came onto the stage and almost immediately, he began singing.

Diana’s eyes drifted to Ike and noticed that he was staring at her with a sense of longing in his own brown orbs.

 _“I’ve got you under my skin…”_ Frank Sinatra continued, eliciting occasional applauds from women in the room and grins from every person attending the event.

It was only Diana and Ike who seemed to be without a smile.

_“'Cause I've got you under my skin. Yes, I've got you under my skin...”_


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, oh man. I can’t wait for you all to read what I have planned. With that being said, this is just a filler!

Since Frank Sinatra’s concert at the Miramar Playa, Ben had become suspicious about his dear wife, Diana. That night, she said she was going to get fresh air, but he wasn’t expecting to see the bottom of her white dress tinged with wet sand. The once all-white beautiful gown had become dirty, and it caused him to wonder if she was telling the truth.

Ben was a man who liked control. He yearned for power. He wasn’t someone who liked to be defeated, either. Diana made him feel inferior with the suspicion that she was cheating on him. Last night proved that things weren’t what they seemed. When he took her back to the mansion and motioned for her to rid the dress to touch herself, she was reluctant at first, but obliged nonetheless. Usually, Diana would be more than okay with doing something like this for him.

Ben had his suspicions, but he didn’t want to dwell on an idea that may not be true. For now, he would keep a close eye on her. He was tired of having people run over him, thinking that he wasn’t as smart as he really was.

As he was getting ready to go to the Miramar Playa, Diana quickly descended the stairs dressed in a tight-fitting black dress. His eyes ran over her body, thinking back to watching her writhe by her own touch. Instead of brushing her away, he smiled and walked towards her.

“Morning,” Ben greeted.

“Where are you going?” she asked, resting a hand on his chest.

“The Miramar Playa…”

“May I come along?”

Ben arched a brow. “Why?”

“They have a lingerie store that I have been wanting to see. _Please_ ,” she pleaded, biting her lower lip.

“Fine, but just don’t bother me while I’m working,” he said, motioning her to the front door.

“Thank you, Ben.” Diana grinned, kissing his cheek. She followed him to the front yard, stepping inside of the car and buckling her seatbelt. While she was excited to go to the Miramar Playa again, she was also slightly nervous.

The last time she saw Ike wasn’t a clear message as to where they both stood. They couldn’t get enough of each other, but that didn’t mean that they were going to continue their forbidden affair.

The ride to the Miramar Playa seemed to take longer than usual. Her mind was floating at thoughts of Ike and what she would say to him if they crossed paths. Ben had told her not to bother him, so at least she didn’t have to worry about him breathing down her neck every minute.

“While you’re there, baby, you should really get a haircut or do something with your hair. You need to look better than you do now. I mean, you’re pretty, but I need you to look beautiful.”

Diana bit her lower lip. She looked over at Ben and nodded, though deep down, she was offended. He had told her that everything about her was beautiful when they first met and now, she couldn’t satisfy him.

“Okay, Ben…”

“Great. I can’t wait to see how you look tonight,” he grinned. “The dress is sexy, but you look like a mess.”

“I’m sorry,” she sighed, looking out the window. “I’ll do better next time.”

“Yes, make sure of it. I can’t have my wife looking like an animal whenever she steps out of that house. You’re going to embarrass yourself, and _me_.”

Diana wanted to cry, so when the car finally stopped in the front of the Miramar Playa, she immediately bolted. Though, Ben had climbed out to tug roughly on her arm that it caused her to lose balance and fall into him.

“Don’t walk away from me,” he growled. “You are my wife, and you belong to me. Do you understand that?”

“Y—Yes, Ben…”

“Good, now go and get pretty for me,” he grinned.

Diana walked casually to the salon that the Miramar Playa had. She stepped inside and looked around, but instead of doing what Ben asked, she walked back out and headed to the lingerie store. She couldn’t let him control her life.

Once inside the lingerie store, her mind drifted to Ike. She wondered where he was and what he was doing, but thought better of it. She wanted to see him, to talk to him, but doing so meant that she could put herself and him at risk.

As her fingertips grazed a few lingerie sets, Diana heard the door open to the store. She lifted her head and caught sight of Ike, clearing her throat quietly.

He nodded once in her direction before disappearing behind a door that led to the back. She sighed and picked up a red, lacy set of lingerie, tilting her head. Diana hadn’t felt happy since marrying Ben, and meeting Ike and having a brief affair with him made her realize that she was wasting her time with a man like Ben Diamond.

After decided on two sets of lingerie, she walked to the counter and smiled politely at the worker behind it. Diana absently glanced at the door, finally watching Ike step out. He walked to her, lighting up a cigarette as his eyes raked over her features.

“Mrs. Diamond,” he whispered.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Evans,” Diana replied.

There was thick tension that filled the air and as she stared at Ike, she hadn’t realized that the cashier called out her total multiple times. Instead, Ike waved a hand and nodded to his employee.

“Put it on me,” Ike answered.

“Ike…”

“It’s the least I can do, Mrs. Diamond. Think of it as a late wedding gift to you and Ben Diamond,” Ike added. Diana could hear the slight pain in his voice, but he immediately masked it once he heard the door to the store fling open.

Al looked between Diana and Ike, thinking nothing of it before he shook his head.

“You look the same, Diana,” Al pointed out. “Ben wants you looking better than you are.”

“She looks fine, Al,” Ike spoke.

“But she can look better. Ben isn’t satisfied. You need to go to the salon now and get yourself together.”

Diana nodded, taking the bag from the cashier and smiling politely. “Thank you,” she mumbled.

“Come on, Diana. Let’s get moving,” Al rushed, snapping his fingers.

Ike tightened his jaw, wanting so badly to reach for her and keep her by his side. Instead, he let Diana reluctantly go with Al.

She turned her head to look over at Ike, a tear falling from the corner of her eye in which Ike definitely took notice. For once, Ike finally noticed how afraid she looked. He had told her that he couldn’t get enough of her, but he wasn’t only talking about the sex. Ike didn’t know what he was going to do, but he knew that he needed to have you. _Officially_.

“Mr. Evans,” the cashier called. “Are you okay?”

Ike looked over at her, not realizing that she had been calling his name repeatedly. “Huh? Yes, I’m fine. Thank you.”

He left the lingerie store and walked to the lobby, catching a glimpse of Ben. Ike nodded once and knew that Ben Diamond had to go in order for him to have Diana, and he was going to do whatever it takes to make that happen.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Warning:** Please be cautious when reading this particular part (and others to follow). It contains domestic abuse like physical and verbal.

Diana refused to get her hair and make-up done the way Ben wanted to, so when he finally brought her back to the mansion, she wasn’t expecting him to become abusive. He had never lifted a hand to her, but today was different. He dismissed the men who usually hung around with him and when they were gone, Ben backhanded her. _Hard_.

Diana cupped her cheek, looking up at him with watery eyes. “B—Ben?”

“I told you to get your hair done, your makeup done, and what did you do?”

“I—”

“You decided to go to the Atlantis and have a cup of coffee,” he seethed.

“Ben…”

“When I tell you to do something, you listen,” Ben threatened, grabbing her by the throat and pushing her against the wall. He tightened his grasp, cutting off her air supply as he stared into her eyes. “Don’t forget where you came from, Diana…”

She clawed at his wrists as her face began to turn red from the sudden lack of oxygen. Her eyes had become watery, stinging with unshed tears as she pleaded for her life through her facial expressions alone.

Suddenly, he pulled away from her and let her slump the floor. “You are nothing without me, Diana. You are worthless. I saved you from that poor job back home and look where you are now… In a mansion where I’m able to give you whatever the hell you want.”

“Ben, I’m sorry,” she rasped, rubbing her throat. “I’ll listen next time. I’m sorry.”

“Yes, you better be sorry, Diana, or else there won’t be a next time for you.”

Diana wiped her eyes, looking away from him. She wished he would just leave and let her go back to her room like she wanted. Instead, he hoisted her up roughly by the arm and cupped her chin in his hands, tightening his grip to make her face him.

“Now, clean yourself up. You look even more like a goddamn mess,” he glared, pushing her up the stairs where she fell once more. Ben erupted in a quiet, menacing chuckle. “You’re so pathetic. It’s no wonder you fell in love with me.”

Diana felt bile rise in her throat. She had thought she loved this man, but instead, she was infatuated with the idea of leaving her hometown to finally live her life. She didn’t expect that the man she was going to marry was going to be an abusive, paranoid asshole.

As she quickly ran to her bedroom, Diana shut the door and slumped against the wall. She covered her face in her hands and finally erupted in tears. Ben had hit her. Not only did he lay a hand on her, but he went so far as to choke her until she was gasping for air.

Diana continued to cry, but after a few minutes, she wiped her tears away and took a deep breath. Ben could hurt her, but he wasn’t going to break her. She needed to remember who she was before she met him, but it was becoming difficult with the impending death sentence that Ben targeted on her.

If she didn’t leave, she was sure Ben was going to kill her.

Diana didn’t sleep that night. From seeing Ike to Ben putting his hands on her, she couldn’t handle it. Emotionally, she was tired, but she didn’t feel safe knowing that she was sleeping under the same roof as the man that hurt her. So, instead, she spent the entire night staring at the wall. She didn’t bother staring at the ceiling, knowing that Ben could watch anytime he wanted.

She could feel the throbbing in her cheek and when she touched her throat, she flinched. Diana knew it was going to bruise by tomorrow morning. Though, she was losing hope, and she was certainly losing the will to be strong. How could she put on a façade when one of the two people she knew here in Miami was the person who was causing her pain?

Diana wanted Ike. She wanted to be in his arms. She had come to know that she felt much safer with him than she ever did in her entire life. He had a certain aura about him that was genuine, down to earth, and overall understanding.

Ike was the type of man that Diana would call her “dream man.”

The following morning, Diana went to the bathroom expecting to have her period. Needless to say, she was surprised when she hadn’t received it yet. She assumed it was the sudden stress she was put through.

After she finished her shower, Diana stepped out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel. Her hair was completely damp as droplets of water touched the carpeted floor. Suddenly, the door was kicked open and she watched two men walk inside and ransack her room.

“A—Al! What are you doing?!” she exclaimed, tugging on his arm.

Al glared, pulling his arm from her grasp as he and the other man tore apart her room. They were leaving a big mess and when Ben entered the room, she quickly jogged to him.

“Ben… What are they doing?” she asked, holding her towel up. “They’re making a mess!”

“I just want to make sure my _faithful_ wife is loyal to me,” he grinned, eyeing her swollen cheek and bruised neck.

“All right, Ben. It’s clean,” Al confirmed.

Ben grinned, looking down at her. She flinched when his fingertips grazed her bare shoulder, staring up at him with narrowed eyes.

“What was the point of this?” Diana asked.

“It’s none of your business, baby. Now, clean this up. It’s a woman’s job to clean the mess, right?” he laughed.

Diana tightened her jaw, watching him leave the room after the two men. Quietly, she whispered, “Asshole.”

Ben turned around, staring at her. He walked back towards her and stepped into Diana’s personal space. He grinned at her threateningly, looking deeply into her eyes. “Did I hear you correctly, darling?”

“I—I’m sorry…” she whispered innocently, leaning into him to kiss his neck. Instead, Ben pushed her away roughly, causing her back to hit the wall with a loud thud. Afterwards, he left her room and slammed her door shut, causing her to cry quietly in a heap of mess.

It was a few minutes until she heard voices from the front yard. Diana wiped her eyes and peeked out the window, watching Ben and the rest of his men leave in a car. When she realized she was alone, Diana quickly walked to her bed and picked up the phone.

It was a long shot, but she had no one else to turn to.

After a few rings, she heard his voice.

“I—Ike…”

“I don’t think you should call here, Diana,” Ike sighed. “Listen… What happened at the Sinatra show shouldn’t have happened in the first place, and—”

Diana was crying now, and it caused Ike to stop midsentence. “Diana? Are you okay?”

“H—He hurt me, Ike… Ben… He—”

“What?” Ike asked, anger creeping up. “He hurt you?”

“Ike, I’m scared and—”

“We need to get you out of there,” he reasoned. “Diana, it’s not safe.”

“N—No… No! He’ll find out. I just needed to talk to a familiar voice, that’s all…” she hiccupped, wiping her tears.

“Diana, please…”

“He didn’t mean it. I upset him. I should have just gone to the salon and did as he asked…”

“No. Don’t you dare put the blame on yourself. Your fault or not, a man should never a lay a hand on a woman,” Ike confirmed. “He should _never_ have to hurt you for disobeying him. You are his wife. You are not some goddamn dog, Diana.”

“I just missed your voice… I’m fine,” she lied. Diana didn’t know why she was defending Ben. The sole purpose for this phone call was to ask Ike for help, but now she couldn’t even bring herself up to do it.

“That’s it. I’m getting you out of there.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man. Things are picking up. Prepare yourself for a rough chapter after this one. It isn’t going to be pretty. Enjoy, regardless!

Diana hung up shortly after Ike stated that he was going to get her out of there. He knew Ben was a dangerous man, but he didn't know that he would go as far as to hurt his own wife. It angered him to know that she was stuck in a house that she had to share with Ben, fearing that he was going to crack and take his anger out on Diana.

He meant it when he said he needed to get her out of there. Ike had come to care about her in just a short amount of time, and imagining Ben putting his hands on her infuriated him. He knew he had to do something about it. Ike couldn't just sit in his office and wait for Diana to make a decision.

It was time someone stood up to Ben, and it was going to be him.

After their phone call, Ike left his office to walk to the Atlantis. He entered the bar and glanced around the dimly lit room, noticing a few customers before finally resting his eyes on his oldest son. Walking to the counter, he sat at the bar stool and lit a cigarette.

"Usual, dad?" Stevie asked.

Ike nodded, "I need to speak with you and Danny later, is that okay?"

Stevie furrowed a brow. He was confused, and he had never seen his father look so stressed out and uneasy like this. "Of course. Is everything okay?"

"I'll let you both know later. Do you know where Vincent and Vic is?"

Stevie set his glass down in front of him, watching his father immediately take it and down the contents. "Dad, what's going on?"

"Nothing, Stevie. I will let you know later. Thank you, son." Ike stood, wrapping his arms around his son and leaning over the counter of the bar to place a kiss on his son's temple. Without another word, Ike turned on his heel and left the bar.

If he was going to save Diana, he needed all the help he could get. The only problem was not many people would risk going against "The Butcher," but it was time someone tried.

He met with Vincent and Vic, pulling them into his office. Ike lit another cigarette, leaning against the edge of his desk as he looked over at the two men he trusted with his life.

"Ike?" Vic asked. "What's going on?"

"You know Diana? Ben's new wife?"

"What about her?" Vincent asked.

"I didn't know she was Ben's wife when we—when we got together," Ike sighed. He looked guiltily at both men before looking away. He wished he had known, but Ike wasn't sure that he would do anything different if given the chance.

"Wait, you're telling me you slept with The Butcher's wife?" Vic asked, looking up at his boss with an arched brow. "Are you serious? You could be killed for that, Ike!"

"You don't think I know that, Vic? I didn't know, but now I can't—I can't get her out of my mind, all right? I like her," he admitted.

"So, what's the problem aside from her being already married?" Vincent asked, placing his hands in his pockets.

"He hurt her."

"What?" Vic asked, narrowing his eyes. "He hurt her?"

"She didn't go into detail, but she was crying and she sounded so very scared," Ike sighed, exhaling a puff of smoke from his cigarette.

"We're getting her out," Vic declared. "No man should ever raise their hand to their wife on any given occasion.  _Never_."

Ike looked up at him, offering a small smile before it disappeared immediately. "That's why I wanted you two to meet with me here. I need to come up with a plan to get her out of that mansion, but I don't know how to go about it."

"Let's break it down. We must always have a Plan B, all right?" Vincent asked. "We have to be prepared for any possible scenario because if Ben finds out that she's missing and  _you_  were the reason why she left, he's not only going to kill you, Ike, but he's going to kill  _her_ too."

"If you really care about her—" Vic began.

Ike interrupted, "I do. More than I thought was capable since Molly died, Vic."

Both men looked to Ike. They knew to take it seriously—Ike hadn't been with a woman since Molly died and that was almost three years ago.

"Then we will figure out a way, all right?" Vincent asked, clasping Ike's shoulder. "Let us handle Ben. We can't have him raising suspicions on you, Ike."

"How am I supposed to just sit back and be patient? She—She apologized for  _his_ doing!"

"Let us handle it for now, Ike," Vic sighed. "We will handle it. We just have to be patient."

Ike grumbled, nodding regardless. "Okay… All right. Thank you."

"If this woman is the first woman since Molly, she has to be special," Vincent smiled.

"She is, Vincent… I promise."

* * *

Later that night, Danny and Stevie were sitting in the living room of their father's penthouse suite. They were watching Ike pace back and forth, cigarette between his lips and a glass of liquor in one hand.

"Dad? What is going on?" Danny asked, slightly uneasy about his father's antics. Usually, Ike was calmer and collected, but he was coming undone and he didn't know why.

"Ben Diamond," Ike mumbled. "I had an affair with Ben's wife…"

"What?" Stevie asked. "Do you know how dangerous that is, dad? He could kill you if he found out!"

"Calm down, Stevie. I didn't know she was Ben's wife when it happened," Ike sighed. "She didn't mention it."

"She didn't mention it? Dad, she's playing you!" Danny exclaimed.

"No! She isn't… Trust me, okay? She needs our help…" Ike explained. "Ben—He hurt her. She can't stay with him."

Stevie rubbed the back of his neck, biting his lower lip uneasily. "What are we supposed to do, dad? Ben's a dangerous man. He's got people all around Miami."

"I've already asked Vincent and Vic to help. We have to come up with a plan that won't have Ben suspect that it's me…" Ike sat down, setting the burnt-out cigarette onto a nearby ashtray.

"What do you propose we do, dad?" Danny asked.

"If she's important to you, then she's important to us," Stevie admitted. "We just want to make sure that she's in it for the right reasons… I mean, she married Ben Diamond. There has to be some other motive other than marrying him because she was in love."

Ike narrowed his eyes, challenging his son. "Are you insinuating that she's only with me, or with Ben, because of the money?"

Danny glanced over at Stevie, "We're just thinking logically here, dad. We don't mean to offend you or her."

"Well, consider me offended, Danny. I care about her. A lot, and that means everything to me. Since your mother died, I haven't—No other woman has captured my attention like Diana has, all right?" Ike admitted. "I know you both mean well, but whatever happens is solely because  _I_ chose it, and I choose  _her_."

Stevie nodded, not wanting to argue with his father. "Then we will get her out, dad. We will get Diana out."


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please skip past the abuse if you are not comfortable reading it. It was very difficult for me to write, but I can assure you that while these two are at it, Ike is brewing up a plan to get our beloved Diana out of there. Enjoy.
> 
>  **Warning:** Domestic abuse–physical and verbal, also, unwanted force! So, please, beware!

Since her phone call with Ike, she kept her distance against Ben throughout the night. She refused to touch herself which caused him to slap her across the cheek once more out of anger and irritation. She had grown tired and tired of pleasing him—wearing clothes that he wanted her to wear, leaving the house only when he allowed it, and changing how she looked so  _he_ could look good.

The next day, though, Ben didn't bother her which she was grateful for. She could feel the stiffness in her cheek, knowing full well that a bruise had formed overnight. Diana didn't get up from bed. She lied under the covers, staring at the wall with silent tears streaming down her face.

A man who had promised her the world had become her worst nightmare. She could hear her family and friends just shaking their heads, knowing that she had made a mistake. She had nowhere to turn, no one to go to. Ike was her last resort and while he assured that he would get her out of this mansion and away from Ben, she knew that it was highly unlikely.

Diana realized just how dangerous Ben could be and she hoped that Ike didn't stick to his word. She didn't want him getting hurt over her decision to have an affair with him.

Throughout the day, she daydreamed about a life she could have had if she was married to Ike. It made her smile, even when she was surrounded in her own darkness. She imagined that he would hold her every night, wake up every morning with his strong arms embracing her, the affection that she desperately needed, and certainly the confidence that she wanted. Diana was aware that Ike could treat a woman like a queen. The past month since she had gotten to know Ike showed her that she still had a chance in life; she could still leave Ben.

Her relationship with Ben was toxic. Though, it didn't start out that way. When they met, Diana was smitten with his charming attitude and constant promises that he could give her a new outlook on life. He was his gateway to leave her home and start anew. Instead, she didn't know what she signed up for when she walked down that aisle.

Since meeting Ike, he opened her eyes and realized that the life she was living was not a life anyone would want to live. Ben was controlling and now he had become physically abusive. Before, she could take his verbal insults, thinking they were just playful teasing, but Ike showed her that a woman should  _never_ be treated the way she was.

Ben had come home that night, stumbling into her room. Diana flinched at the sound, curling the blankets closer to her body. She could hear every grumble and growl, cowering in fear of what Ben may do to her. She looked over her shoulder and cleared her throat, noticing the animalistic gaze in his eyes.

"B—Ben…" she whispered hesitantly. "Please, just go to bed."

"No," he chuckled, his words slurring. "I need you to strip for me, baby."

Diana shook her head immediately. "I'm really tired, Ben. Tomorrow, okay?"

Suddenly, Ben ripped the blanket from her body. He narrowed his eyes when he noticed that she wasn't wearing a nightgown like he specifically told her to do every night. "What the hell are you wearing, Diana?!"

"T—They're much more comfortable than—"

He climbed onto the bed and hovered above her, his hands coming down to rest at either side of her head. "I don't care about you being comfortable. I want you to look nice and sexy. This—This isn't sexy. You don't even look sexy. Not anymore at least," he laughed.

Tears were now streaming down her face, wiping them away before Ben gripped her hands and pulled them away roughly. He stared down at her, the remnants of alcohol lingering in his system. Ben could see the fear in her eyes and immediately, he grinned. He leaned down to press his lips against hers, but Diana moved away which caused his lips to press against her cheek.

He fumed, gripping her chin roughly to face him. "You are my wife. I will kiss you whenever I please," he threatened. " _Or else,_ Diana."

She was crying now, leaning up to gently peck his lips. Once Ben was satisfied, he pulled away and allowed his eyes to rake over her body. He looked disgusted and Diana wanted nothing more than for Ike to burst through the door and save her. She tried to pull the blanket to her body to cover herself, but Ben shook his head.

"Nope. You and I are going to have quite the conversation, Diana," Ben chuckled. He tossed the blanket to the ground and motioned to her large t-shirt. "Take it off."

"Ben, please…"

"Did I ask? No, I am  _telling_ you to take that off. You look pathetic just lying there with tears streaming down your face. Take off the damn shirt, Diana."

Her hands were shaky as she lifted the end of her shirt over her head. Diana couldn't look at him once the shirt was removed to reveal her exposed chest. Instinctively, she covered herself with her arms before Ben stepped forward to slap her across the cheek.  _Hard_.

"Remove your hands. Don't make me have to tell you again."

Diana nodded, placing her hands on her thighs as Ben pulled her onto her knees. She felt violated at the way he was looking at her. He was devouring her with his eyes alone and it made her uncomfortable. Tears were rolling down her cheeks and Ben brought a hand to gently wipe the tears away, causing Diana to flinch away from him.

"I'm trying to clean you up and you're being an ungrateful  _bitch_ ," he spat.

"I—I'm sorry…"

"No, you're not, Diana."

"I am, Ben!" she exclaimed, causing him to move his hands along her shoulders. Diana looked into his eyes, clearing her throat and wincing in pain when he began to squeeze her shoulders tightly, causing his fingertips to dig into the skin. "Ben… You're hurting me, please… Stop..."

"I just want to know something, darling," he began. "Does the other man that fuck you take good care of you like I do?"

Diana's eyes widened and immediately, she pushed him away which caused his eyes to widen with anger. "G—Get out!"

"Excuse me?" he asked. "Am I hearing you correctly, Diana?"

"How dare you accuse me of cheating on  _you_  when you're with other women!" she yelled. Diana was lying, but she needed to show him that she was devoted to him if she wanted to leave. It was all in the element of surprise, she thought.

Ben laughed, inching his way closer to her. "What I do on my spare time doesn't concern you, Diana."

"I am your goddamn wife, Ben! I am not just woman you parade around when there's an important event. We exchanged vows! You promised me a better life, but what life is this when you control everything I do, everything I wear, everything I eat?!" Diana knew she was going to receive dire consequences for her outbursts, but she needed to alleviate her anger somehow.

"You are my wife, and as my wife, you will do as I tell you! That includes what you wear, what you eat, what you do… You belong to me!"

"I am not some toy, Ben! I am a human being and—"

Suddenly, he struck her across the cheek once more, causing her to topple to the side. Diana broke her fall by placing her hands to the ground, looking up at him with teary eyes and a bloody nose.

"Know your place, woman!" he yelled, reaching down to pick her up roughly. Ben slammed her back against the dresser, causing a loud yelp of pain to escape her lips.

"Ben, please!" she begged, covering her face when she noticed that he had raised his arms.

"Aw, baby… Don't cry… What's the matter?" he laughed, gripping a chunk of her hair roughly in his hands. "Why don't you tell your  _devoted_ husband what's wrong…"

"I—I love you, please, stop!"

Ben's grin disappeared. His eyes narrowed. He pulled her head back with the grip he had on her hair and looked into her eyes with a look so void that she was sure this wasn't the same man she met months ago.

" _Liar_ …" he whispered. "Do not lie to me!" Ben threw her across the room and quickly, she scrambled to the bathroom, shutting the door and locking it behind her. She huddled in the corner away from the door, crying into her hands as she flinched with each sound of the loud banging.

"Open the door!" he yelled, slamming his fist against the door. "Goddammit, Diana!"

After a few minutes, Diana heard the banging stop. She didn't bother to open the door, but she stood to grab a robe from the rack to slip on and cover her body. She rinsed her face of the dried blood and stared at herself.

She was once a woman who had dreams to become a famous singer, a life that Ben promised before they got married. Diana was naïve to believe that lie and as she stared at her reflection, she couldn't help but cry silently at the woman who was staring back at her.

She was bruised, and broken. Before Diana could do anything else, she felt bile rise in her throat and immediately, she bent over the toilet and vomited.

First it was her late period, and now she was throwing up. Diana believed that it was stress, but she couldn't help but wonder if it was something else…


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Warning:** A controlling relationship between Ben and Diana, so please beware!

Ben had kept his distance since their last argument. Diana was grateful, but her symptoms of morning sickness had become more prominent. She still had yet to receive her period, but she didn't want to ponder on the idea that she may be pregnant. She couldn't be. She didn't need any more problems to add to the ones she was going through right now.

Her bruises had almost disappeared, but without makeup, it was visible when up close. She always clutched the blankets closer to her whenever she heard Ben's footsteps pass her door, afraid that he may attack her again. Her sudden outburst and need to argue back had backfired and at first, Diana thought it would make her feel better but instead, she felt the opposite.

That morning, though, Ben opened her door loudly, making it swing back to hit the wall. "Get up," he said. "We're going to the Miramar Playa. I want you to come with me this time."

Diana lifted her head from the bed, looking at Ben with fear in her eyes. "B—But, I don't want to go…"

"Did I ask you to go? No. You don't have an option. Now, get ready and cover up those  _love_ marks," Ben laughed. "And hurry the hell up."

He left her room, slamming the door loudly that it caused her to flinch at the sound. Slowly, Diana climbed out of bed and walked to the bathroom. She looked sickly pale as she looked at herself in the mirror, noticing the array of bruises that littered her body. Gone was the woman who had dreams and now, she was staring at someone who had no will to live.

Once in the shower, she stood under the spray, allowing the water to run over her body. Diana didn't want to go to the Miramar Playa. She didn't know what Ike was going to do if he saw her and she certainly didn't want him to do anything drastic that would get him killed either.

After her brief shower, Diana pulled on a black spaghetti strapped, tight fitting dress that reached just past her knees. She only covered the bruises and applied lipstick, but other than her usual makeup, she kept it natural. Diana had grown eye bags that made her look like she was in dire need of sleep, and the once confident smile she wore was now replaced with a natural pout as she was contemplating what her next move was.

She was broken out of her reverie when Al stepped into the room, motioning to the door.

"Ben says we gotta go. Let's go," he said.

Diana nodded, following him out of her bedroom and down the stairs. Her body was still slightly sore, but she forced herself not to wince every time she descended the stairs. Approaching the front yard, she noticed Ben watching her with a sinister smile that made her skin crawl. The door opened for her and before Diana could slide into the backseat, Ben gripper her upper arm roughly which caused a whimper of pain to escape her lips.

"Why are you wearing black? Planning your own funeral, baby?" he grinned.

Diana looked at him with widened eyes. She shook her head immediately and looking down at his hand that had gripped her arm even tighter. "B—Ben… It's the tightest one I have and—"

"I don't care. Next time wear red. I'll let this pass. Now, get in the car."

Diana kept her gaze out the window, noticing that they were inching closer to the familiar hotel. Somehow, she felt an odd affinity with the Miramar Playa, but she assumed it was because Ike would be nearby. However, when they exited the vehicle, Diana expected Ben to bring her into the lobby, but instead, he led her to the cabanas off to the side and near the beach.

Once inside, he gently pushed her into a chair and pointed at her. "You stay here where I can keep an eye on you. I wouldn't want my beautiful wife running away from me, now would I?" Ben smiled, caressing her cheek.

Diana immediately moved away from his touch, shutting her eyes and nodding in response.

Ben took a seat around the table with the rest of his guys and she watched, aimlessly scanning the faces of the men surrounding her husband. Not one man spoke up about her sitting in the room, and it just proved to her how powerful Ben was. She could feel their lingering glances, but when she met eye contact with them, there was a sympathetic look that she knew they couldn't act on.

It was enough for her tear up and wipe her eyes immediately.

Hours passed and Ben and the rest of the men played many games of poker. The room filled with smoke and she coughed, trying desperately not to inhale the smoke but it was inevitable.

"Diana, baby? Do me a favor and get me a drink at the Atlantis," Ben instructed. "Now, please."

Diana nodded, quickly making her way out of the smoke-filled cabana. She inhaled the fresh air and took a few deep breaths before beginning to walk to the hotel. Diana felt her heart beating rapidly out of her chest with every step that she took. The closer she got to the entrance of the hotel, the more nervous she got.

With a deep breath, Diana entered the hotel and walked towards the Atlantis. She could feel herself getting sick once she entered the darkened bar, smelling the alcohol from the entrance. Then, she saw Ike and immediately, she wanted to turn around and walk away.

"May I help you?" Stevie asked, smiling in her direction.

Ike turned to face her, his eyes widening. "D—Diana?"

"Whoa,  _this_ is Diana?" Stevie grinned. "You are beautiful."

Diana blushed. She was yearning for positivity since she had grown accustomed to Ben's negative insults. "T—Thanks… Can you make Ben's drink?"

Stevie nodded, looking over her frame. He noticed a few bruises that the makeup didn't do a good enough job at hiding it. He turned his back to his father and Diana, making Ben's drink as carefully and slowly as possible.

"Diana…" Ike called, reaching out to touch her hand.

Immediately, she flinched away from him and looked at him with teary eyes. "Ike, please…"

"Did he hurt you?" he tightened his jaw. "Diana, did he touch you?"

"Stevie, is that drink ready?" Diana asked, ignoring Ike.

"Diana… Baby…" Ike pleaded. "Talk to me…"

"Please leave me alone, Mr. Evans," she lied, looking away from him.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry for leaving you. I promise you that I'll get you out of there, okay?" Ike sighed, resting his hands on the counter of the bar instead.

"Don't. I'm fine," she lied. "I am okay."

"You aren't," Ike argued. "You look like you haven't gotten any sleep. You've got bruises that you're covering… Diana, please. Let me help you."

"I can't let anything bad happen to you!" Diana cried, wiping her eyes. "Please. I will be okay. I can't—I can't fathom the idea of Ben hurting you, Ike. So, please… Leave it alone."

"I'd rather him hurt me than you," Ike sighed. "I want you safe. He shouldn't have laid a hand on you and he will pay for it. I promise you, baby."

Stevie turned around and set the glass on the counter. "I can take this to Mr. Diamond, Diana," he offered.

Diana shook her head immediately, fear flashing in her eyes at the possibility of a consequence if Stevie were to be the one to give him his drink. "I'll take it. Thank you, though."

She took the glass from the counter and began walking away before Ike stood from his stool to run over to her, gently stopping to halt in front of her. "Diana…"

Diana's eyes began to tear up and allowed a few drops to fall down her face. "I think I'm pregnant…"


	10. Chapter 10

_Ike POV_

I couldn't believe it. Diana was walking away, but somehow, my feet are planted to the floor. I can't move. I can't even hear Stevie calling my name because my attention is focused solely on the woman that had dropped a secret that I wasn't expecting.

There was a possibility she was pregnant, and there was a  _high_ possibility that  **I** could be the father. It should have scared me, but instead, it simply ignited the need to get her out of Ben's mansion and away from him for good. If she was carrying  _my_ baby, there was no way I was going to let her stay in a toxic environment.

"Dad," Stevie calls. "Dad!"

I am broken out of my reverie when I feel my son's hand touch my shoulder. I look over at him. My jaw is tight, but my eyes are glistening with unshed tears. The woman that I could have had a future with is married to one of the dangerous men in Miami. To add the icing to the cake, she could be carrying a child that very well may be mine.

"What do we do?" he asks.

"I don't know, son…"

"She looks—"

"In pain," I finish. My heart breaks as I remember the way she looked at me when she stepped into the Atlantis. There was the fear that Ben had instilled in her mind. One simple touch and she flinched away from me.

"Well, yes, but she's beautiful too," Stevie smiles, trying to lighten the mood.

"Did you catch what she said?" I ask hesitantly.

"Yeah… Could the baby be yours?" Stevie whispers.

"It's a high possibility," I sigh.

"All the more reason to get her out, dad. How about you try and do some work? If Ben sees you here, there's no doubt that he'll start a conversation," Stevie suggests.

I nod in agreement, downing my drink and setting it on the counter. I lean over to gently wrap my arms around my son, kissing his temple. "Thank you. We'll talk later."

"Of course."

Back at my office, I couldn't help but look out the large windows. My mind drifts to Diana. Seeing her unexpectedly had caused me to reminisce about our brief time together. Despite the covering of her bruises, she still looked as beautiful as she did when I first laid eyes on her. I am trying to keep things together, trying to keep myself calm, but knowing that she was with Ben just a few minutes away irks me. I could easily swoop her away from him, but it wasn't that easy.

I try to go over different possible scenarios that would allow me to remove her from that monster, but in order for me to do that, I would have to somehow sneak into Ben's mansion. It was too big of a risk. I couldn't jeopardize Diana's safety and my own.

Vincent, Victor, and my two sons walk into the office. I look up at them, hoping they would provide a better solution than what I was trying to conjure up. Danny is the first to sit down, and he is also the first to speak which surprises me.

"Stevie said Diana may be pregnant?"

I sigh, "That's what she said…"

"And it's yours?"

"I have a strong feeling that it is, Danny."

"How strong?" he asks.

"I have a good feeling about it."

"Then what are we going to do?" Danny looks at me, hoping I would have the answers. Instead, I shrug my shoulders, but the gesture is accompanied with a huff of irritation. I should be the one to figure out how to get my girl out of there.  _My_ girl. Huh. It sounds nice.

"You don't have any idea what to do, huh, dad?" Stevie asks, interrupting my thoughts.

"What am I supposed to do, Stevie? The man is heavily guarded all the goddamn time. We can't just go up to his front door either. I have thought of every different scenario possible and I am coming up with nothing," I say in frustration. "I want her away from him, all right? Now that she's possibly pregnant… Ben could hurt her  _and_ the baby. Even if the baby isn't mine, Ben has the possibility of hurting both and he won't even blink an eye."

Vincent clears his throat, looking over at Victor. "Well, Vic and I came up with something…"

"What's that?"

"Invite her to perform again. If Ben needs an incentive, say all the money that we receive for her show will go to him.  _All_ of it," Vic suggests. "At least then she'll be here to sing. It'll be better if he shows up too. Makes it less suspicious on us and more on him, do you understand?"

"Okay, let's say she performs. Then what?" Danny asks. "How are we supposed to take her without Ben noticing?"

"She has a changing room, Danny. When it's time for her to change sets, that's when we take her and bring her up to Ike's room," Vincent answers.

I nod, slowly piecing it together. It makes sense. Diana would still be here and no one was allowed to his penthouse suite without authorization, so she was safer here than out there.

"That sounds like a good plan," I assure them.

"What are we going to do about Ben?" Stevie asks. "He'll grow suspicious."

I look at my son with confidence. If Ben was going to accuse anyone, it was going to be me. "I'll tell him that she never made it to the changing room. We were waiting for her to arrive, but she never showed."

Vic nods, "That actually is a good idea. It'll deviate the man's attention away from Ike and the Miramar Playa and to someone else who he may have it out for him."

I look around the room. My eyes settle back onto the window, staring at the cloudless, blue sky from where I am sitting. If this goes smoothly, I can give Diana a better life, show her how a woman should be treated, and reassure her that with me, she will always be safe.

"She's pregnant, and that baby could very well be mine. I—I'm falling in love with her and I will do  _anything_ to get her away from Ben. We have to get her out before he does anything else…"

Stevie and Danny look at each other. "You love her?" There's a hint of uncertainty in their voices, but I nod without hesitation.

"I do… She's an amazing woman, a strong, funny, intelligent woman. I didn't know she was Ben's wife. When I did, I tried to end it. I tried to stop myself, but I couldn't. Diana is… Goddammit, she's worth it," I admit.

"Worth what?" Danny asks.

"If the only way for her to leave Ben is for me to step forward and go toe-to-toe with him, then I will do it," I say with confidence. If Ben has the audacity to lay a hand on a defenseless woman, I wonder if he has the ability to hurt someone with as much anger and hatred as he does.

Ben is going to get what's coming to him, and I'm going to have the front row seat.


	11. Chapter 11

A couple of days passed since Ike's run-in with Diana. Since then, he couldn't get his mind off of her. He wondered if she was safe or if she was being hurt every minute of the day. It only eased his thoughts when he saw Ben walk to his cabana. If Ben was here at the Miramar Playa, it meant that Diana was safe. For the time being.

One afternoon, Ike was sitting on a barstool at the counter of the bar in Atlantis when Ben entered. He looked over his shoulder and noticed the smirk that usually lined the man's face. Ike, however, forced a smile while his thoughts lingered. He wanted nothing more than to grab Ben by the face and slam him into the bar. He hurt Diana and Ike wanted Ben to suffer in pain as much as she had.

"Isaac," he grinned, sitting next to Ike.

"Ben," he nodded. "Stevie, get Ben a drink."

Ben smiled at Ike's son, mentioning to the younger man his drink of choice. While Stevie turned to make his drink, Ben looked over to Ike. Right now, Ike had a role to play. He couldn't let his anger control his actions.

"How's business, Isaac?" Ben asked.

"It's great. I've been meaning to run something by you, actually," Ike responded. Now seemed a better time than any to ask Ben about bringing Diana back to the Miramar Playa to sing. If all went well with this conversation, then Ike would be one step closer to bringing his  _girl_ back.

"Oh? What's that?" Ben looked over at Stevie and nodded his thanks when the drink was set down in front of him. "It's unusual for you to come to me about business proposals, Isaac. It must be important."

"It relates to you actually," Ike replied smoothly.

"Well? Out with it, Isaac. No need for the suspense!" Ben laughed.

"Is your wife still singing?" Ike asked.

Ben's laughter ceased, but his grin maintained. "No, not anymore. Why?"

"Well, since she performed here at the Miramar Playa about a few months ago, I have gotten many people asking about her. Apparently, she's made an impression on quite a lot of guests," Ike nodded. "You've got yourself a talented woman, Ben."

"She doesn't sing anymore, Isaac," he repeated.

"Well, I just wanted to let you know that there are people that are staying here that are willing to pay to see her perform. All sales will go to you. One hundred percent of it. I think it's wrong and selfish of me if I were to ask for a percentage," Ike laughed. "I just wanted to run it by you. I didn't know what to tell guests, but now I have a clear answer."

Ben remained silent. He was staring out into the water from behind the bar, sipping on his drink slowly. His mind was racing at the thought of Diana having to perform again. On one hand, he knew that Diana wouldn't dare to disobey him again, but he was also afraid that the man she had an affair with could possibly be staying at the Miramar Playa, or even nearby. Ben wanted control, and he wanted power. He didn't want some other man sweeping in and taking his wife away from him. If he couldn't have Diana, no one would, and Ben would make sure of it.

"I'll get to have all of the sales?" Ben asked. Not only did the man crave control and power, but he craved money.

"One hundred percent. Whatever we make from that performance, it'll all be yours."

"You know what, Isaac? I think that sounds splendid," Ben smiled. "I think we can have that arranged. My wife has been feeling a bit under the weather lately, but I'm sure this will cheer her up. Do we have a projected date for her performance?"

"Possibly this weekend, if it's not too much of a short notice," Ike replied.

"Nonsense. My girl can make it happen," Ben grinned proudly.

Ike smiled, but in his mind, he felt jealousy overcome him. Diana wasn't Ben's girl. The moment he kissed her, Ike knew that she was  _his_  and no one else's. Though, instead of allowing his mind to take over, Ike nodded. "I'm sure she can. I'll have everything settled by then. It's enough time to advertise her performance. I'll have my employees start selling the tickets."

"Great!" Ben smirked. "That is great news, Isaac! I think I'm going to head on home and tell her the good news."

"Oh, of course. I will see you both Saturday night."

"Saturday night it is, Isaac."

**\---**

At the mansion, Diana was curled on her bed in a lacy nightgown. She felt icky and unlike herself, but she didn't want Ben walking in to see her wearing anything other than the lingerie that he bought for her. She had gone to the bathroom many times throughout the morning, and still, she was unable to keep any food down without having to throw it back up.

She managed to buy a pregnancy test after retrieving Ben's drink from the Atlantis. Telling Ike that she may possibly be pregnant only made the assumption more real and factual.

The three-minute wait was agonizingly long, and Diana had paced back and forth awaiting the results. When she finally glanced at the test, the two blue lines proved that she was in fact pregnant. She didn't have enough time to take another, but she knew that by her symptoms and the way she had been feeling that it wasn't the stress that was taking over.

Diana was pregnant and she was one hundred percent sure it was Ike's.

She heard the sound of a car pull to the front entrance of the mansion. Diana knew it was Ben, so she clutched the blanket closer around her body as she acted asleep. Before, she would get irritated that he would always leave for the Miramar Playa, but now, she wished he stayed more often.

Not a minute later and Diana heard the door open. She shut her eyes tightly, trying to convince Ben that she was asleep, but knowing him, Diana was sure she was going to be woken up anyway. She felt the bed dip in weight, but she remained still, breathing evenly.

"Baby…" Ben called out in a soft whisper, running his fingertips down her blanket-covered arm. "Diana, wake up…"

She fluttered her eyes open, rubbing them absently and turning onto her back to look up at him sleepily. She feigned a yawn and looked at Ben. "Ben?"

He grinned, looking her over. "Why, Mrs. Diamond… You look very sick."

"I haven't been feeling to well," she admitted. "I'm sure it'll go away soon."

"Hopefully you feel better by this Saturday," Ben nodded. "I've got a surprise for you, darling."

"W—What's that?" she asked hesitantly. With Ben, there was always a price to pay. A surprise to Diana meant that there was much more than he led on.

"Well, you know Isaac, right? From the Miramar Playa?"

Diana nodded, clearing her throat uneasily. "Yes, what about him?"

"Well, he mentioned that there have been quite a few people requesting you to perform at the hotel again. He asked me if you still sang, then offered me quite a proposition that I couldn't refuse," Ben chuckled, pulling the blanket away to slowly inch closer to her abdomen.

"What did you tell him?"

"Well, Mrs. Diamond, you will be singing at the Miramar Playa again. Isaac says that however much you make from that show alone, I get to keep. One hundred percent of it. All mine," Ben grinned greedily.

Diana felt a flutter in her belly with excitement. However, she watched Ben and noticed that his eyes had deviated to where his hand was now placed: On her abdomen. It made her uncomfortable and uneasy to know that Ben may have an idea that she was pregnant.

"I get to sing again?" she asked.

"Yes, baby. Now, say thank you."

"Thank you, Ben…"

He grinned, kissing her temple lightly. He pressed onto her abdomen gently before pulling away, looking down at her suspiciously. "You do look sick, Diana."

"Probably just a flu…"

"Right," he chuckled. "The flu. Well, I'll have Al bring you up some soup. We need you in perfect shape on Saturday."

"Of course, Ben. Thank you," Diana said, sitting up to kiss his cheek.

Immediately, Ben pulled away and walked to the door, looking over at her. "I sure hope that you are just sick, baby… If it's something else, I'd hate to find out that you're lying to me."


	12. Chapter 12

Throughout the week, Diana was lucky enough that Ben didn't bother her. Her bruises had now disappeared and as Saturday neared, she was more than ready to showcase her talent again. She wondered if Ike felt bad for her, which was why he was doing all of this in the first place. She was pregnant and Ike was the father, but her main concern was trying to get out of this mansion before she started showing.

Diana's morning sickness continued throughout the week, but with her stress lessening substantially, it wasn't as bad as it was a week ago. Now, she was able to eat without having to toss it back up; she was also having midnight cravings that she couldn't fulfill. Diana hoped that her show at the Miramar Playa would have some notable guests in the audience that could remove her from this dangerous environment and toxic relationship.

The morning of her performance, Diana was woken up by quiet knocks on her door. She slipped a silk robe to cover her frame and stood from her bed, padding her way to the door to reveal Ben on the other side. He was holding a tray of food and a glass of orange juice, and he was smiling.

"Ben?"

"Morning, Mrs. Diamond. It's the big day," he chuckled, stepping into her room without permission.

Out of instinct, Diana pulled the robe tighter around her frame and stared at him, biting her lower lip in anticipation from this sudden visit. "Thank you for breakfast, Ben."

He set the tray down on her dresser, turning around to get a good look at her. Ben inched closer, his hands hovering along her sides as he gently rested them on her hips. "Something is different about you, baby. You're glowing…"

"Excitement. I'm just excited to perform," she lied.

"Hm…" Ben smiled. "Seems like it's something else. Is it something else, Diana?"

Diana shook her head immediately. "What could it be, Ben?"

"You tell me, baby."

"You're overthinking. It's nothing, Ben." Diana laughed nervously, walking to her dresser to pick a strip of bacon from the plate. Once she looked over her shoulder at Ben, she noticed that his eyes had darkened slightly. She was aware that the lie she had given him wasn't believable and Ben knew.

"Well, whatever it is, please remember that you are  _mine_."

Diana nodded hesitantly. "Of course, Ben. I married you. You're my husband."

"Good, because you know how I feel about liars right, baby?" he threatened.

"Y—Yes, Ben…"

He smiled, tilting his head in amusement. "All right then. I'll let you eat your breakfast. I'll be bringing you to the Miramar Playa later tonight."

"Are you going to attend?" Diana asked.

"Tonight? Of course, baby."

Once he left the room, Diana quickly locked it behind him. She sighed and stared at the food, her stomach growling immediately. Before, she was always hoping that Ben would show up to her performances, but now that he was going to attend one, she wished that he hadn't.

The excitement was now replaced with dread. Diana didn't want to look out into the crowd and notice Ben judging her for every move she made. She just hoped that Ben would hide himself in the shadows and allow her to do what she did best:  _Sing_.

Diana spent the entire day preparing herself for tonight's event. She tried to calm herself down, but the only thing that worked was if she thought about Ike and the short time they spent with one another. She would close her eyes, count back from twenty, and imagine Ike's strong arms enveloping her frame. She imagined his warm breath breathing against her ear, his deep voice, his dimples, his naturally sparkly eyes, and most importantly, Diana imagined the way he looked at her.

Ben looked at her like she was some sort of trophy, like she was a piece of meat and nothing else. Ike looked at her like she was the entire world. His eyes would soften and a small smile would line his lips; it was enough for his dimples to show.

Diana knew it was wrong to compare both men, but the more she did, the more she realized that she had fallen for another man other than her husband. Oddly enough, she was more than okay with the idea of being married, yet falling in love with another person. Ben had controlled her the moment they moved to Miami, but she had been too naïve to notice it.

As Diana was getting ready, she made sure that her hair was perfectly curled and her make-up remained subtle. Pulling a red dress from the closet, Diana slid into the fabric and cleared her throat once she looked in the mirror.

She didn't feel as confident as she did whenever she wore gowns as tight as this one, but Diana knew it was because she could imagine herself growing a baby bump in the matter of a few months. She wasn't going to be able to wear dresses like this for a while, and she didn't mind. It was time she stopped impressing Ben.

The red dress reached the floor and it sparkled with every move. With the thin spaghetti straps, the dress showcased her enlarged breasts. Diana knew it had gotten bigger since she had begun to feel the symptoms of pregnancy. Not only were they bigger, but they were even more sensitive.

There was a single knock on her door once she slid into her heels. Opening the door after she situated herself, Diana looked up at Al who grinned down at her.

"You ready? Ben's waiting."

"Yeah. I'm ready."

Al nodded, leading her out of the room and down the stairs to the front yard of the mansion. Outside, Diana noticed Ben who was standing near an opened door dressed in a black and white tux. He looked proud and smug when he laid eyes on her. Little did Ben know was that while he may think he was the luckiest man alive, he wasn't, and he never will be.

"You look gorgeous," he grinned. "There's that damn glow again."

"Guess it's the effect of makeup," Diana laughed.

"Right. Well, let's get this show on the road, baby. You've got a performance to do and I have money to make," Ben chuckled.

Throughout the ride to the Miramar Playa, Diana felt her nerves build up. Not only did she feel her nerves, but she could feel bile rise in her throat at the thought of seeing Ike and Ben together in one room. She hoped that both men could keep their distance because she was sure that Ben had his suspicions.

Once they pulled up to the Miramar Playa, Diana stepped out and led to the changing room once Ben kissed her cheek. Now that she was alone, she shut her eyes and paced back and forth. This seemed all too familiar; she was waiting for Ike to barge through that door and kiss her, embrace her, hold her, and comfort her, but he never showed up.

Instead, it was Stevie that entered her room.

"Stevie?"

"You're looking better," he smiled.

"Thank you."

"I just want to let you know that it's going to happen tonight."

"What?" she asked, furrowing a brow in confusion. "What's going to happen tonight?"

"We're getting you out," he said simple. "After your performance, you're going to go back to this room, but we will let Ben know that you never made it back. We're going to manipulate all security cameras just in case he asks to see them."

"But—"

Stevie shook his head. "I don't have a lot of time, and neither do you. That baby you're carrying could possibly be my brother or sister, and if you love my dad like I know he loves you, you'll have to trust me."

"I don't want anything bad happening to you, or to Ike, or to anyone," she sighed. "I'm okay."

"Stop saying that!" Stevie exclaimed, sighing quietly afterwards. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to raise my voice. Listen, Diana… This is going to happen whether you like it or not. Now is the time to choose what side you want to be on."

Stevie allowed the silence to last for a few seconds longer before turning on his heel to leave the room. Just before he opened the door, he turned to look over at her and said, "You're out in ten. Good luck out there."

Once he left the room, Diana stared at herself in the mirror. She was conflicted. She knew the right choice was to follow Stevie, but if Ben ever found out that Ike was behind all of this, he would kill him. With a heavy sigh, she left her room and decided that if Ike planned to get her out, she was going to see it to the end.

She approached the stage quietly, the spotlight flashing in her direction as the musicians began playing their instruments. Almost instantly, Diana slipped into her old persona. When she was singing, she was confident. Her hips swayed, and as she glanced to the crowd, she noticed Ben immediately sitting at a table with…

 _Ike_.

He and Ben were talking quietly, but when they both looked up to see Diana staring at them, they cleared their throats and watched her sing. Ben grinned, sipping from his drink while Ike leaned back in his seat, staring at her with longing eyes that Ben noticed immediately.

Bel, who was also sitting at the table, quietly spoke. "She's glowing, Ben. Did you finally put a baby in that broad?"

Ben grinned. "About time too. I just hope she doesn't end up like the rest of my ex-wives, if you know what I mean," he laughed, nudging Ike.

"I don't know what you mean by that, actually," Ike spat. "Your wife is a very talented woman, Ben. She definitely belongs on a stage, singing."

Ben nodded, "I know."

"Does she sing often then?"

"All the time," he lied. "Around the house, while she's cooking, while I'm  _fucking_ her."

Ike tightened his jaw, glancing at the other man and forcing a quiet laugh. "Singing your praises maybe," he urged. "Regardless, you are a lucky man."

"Thank you, Isaac. Also, thank you for doing this. I'm surprised to see this many people wanted to see her perform," Ben admitted.

"And there were more who weren't able to get tickets. She's a hit, Ben."

"That's great… Maybe we can make this a weekly occurrence."

"Sounds good to me," Ike nodded.

Throughout her set, Diana's eyes always found Ike's and Ben's. She made sure to not make it too obvious, so she spent a few more moments staring at Ben than she did at Ike. Though, whenever her eyes met with Ike's gaze, there was a hidden promise behind his eyes that oddly made her feel at ease.

When she finished, Diana bowed when she heard a series of applauses. She blushed and smiled, but descended the stage to walk to her Ben. The man stood from his seat and continued clapping, looking down at her with his usual grin.

"That was great," he smiled.

Ike stood as well, nodding. "You did amazing, Mrs. Diamond."

"Thank you, Ben. And thank you, Mr. Evans. I had so much fun," she smiled.

Vincent approached the table to hand the table another round of drinks and nodded subtly in Ike's direction.

"Thank you, Vincent. Please turn on the music and let's have these people mingle and dance before Diana takes the stage again."

"Of course," he replied, turning on his heel to do as he was told.

Diana looked at Ike and cleared her throat quietly, feeling Ben's arm snake around her waist. She stiffened momentarily, but his grip on her hip tightened threateningly. She sighed, relaxing into him forcibly and stared up at Ike.

"I'm so thankful that you managed to do this, Mr. Evans. I'm sure Ben is just as grateful as I am," Diana said.

"I am grateful. Who said I wasn't grateful?" Ben replied, narrowing his eyes. "I am more than grateful, Isaac. He knows it already. Don't embarrass me."

"S—Sorry…" Diana sighed, slinking away.

Ike tightened his jaw, pocketing his hands and clenching them tightly. He tried to remain calm, maintaining a small smile as he looked between the couple. "Don't worry about it. Ben has been more than grateful to me since this performance began," he reassured.

"See, darling? You're the stupid one here. Not me," he laughed.

Diana nodded, tears pricking her eyes. She looked up at Ike and gently pulled away from Ben, clearing her throat quietly as her voice came out in a whisper and shaky tone. "I—I'm going to go back to my changing room before my next set begins."

Ben nodded, waving her away. "Make sure you hit that high note this time, all right, baby?"

"Yes, Ben." Diana turned on her heel, not making eye contact with Ike. Ben watched her walk away and quickly reached out to slap her backside which made her jump unexpectedly.

"That ass is mine," Ben grinned. "She's just as sexy naked, Isaac. I'm truly a lucky man."

Ike forced a smile. "You are indeed, Ben."

Back at the changing room, Stevie and Danny were waiting. She took a deep breath and nodded towards Stevie. "I'm in."

"Great. We have to move now," Stevie said, gently taking her hand and leading her out of the room and to the elevators. Once inside, he pressed his father's floor button and relaxed, staring at the floor.

Danny stared at Diana, tilting his head as his blue eyes watched her carefully. "Why are you with a man like Ben Diamond?"

"He took advantage of my naivety. Promised me a better life than the one I was living… It wasn't worth me dropping everything and anyone I knew and loved to be with a man like him. If I could take it back, I would, but at the same time, I would have never met your father," she admitted.

"So, you're really pregnant?" Danny asked.

"Took a test. It said it was positive. I've been having symptoms," she sighed. "I can't thank your father enough for doing this. Once I'm settled, I'll be leaving and—"

"No chance in hell," Stevie interrupted. "You're family now."

Diana nodded, biting her lower lip at the sudden warmth that overcame her. She felt safe with Stevie and Danny, just as she felt safe with Ike.

**\---**

Ben flirted through the crowd, his hands lingering in places where a married man shouldn't be touching other women. Though, he didn't seem to mind nor care about being a committed man. He enjoyed the attention, but when the lights dimmed, Ben retreated back to his seat with Ike.

Ike was sipping on a glass of alcohol and waited for Diana to appear. Minutes passed and Ben was growing increasingly irritated.

"Where the fuck is she?" Ben growled. "I can't believe how unprofessional she is."

"Maybe she went to the bathroom. We'll give her a few," Bel suggested. "Being a pregnant woman isn't easy, Ben."

"I don't think I was asking for your advice, Bel," Ben spat.

"Let me see what's going on," Ike offered, standing from his seat. Just in time, Victor ran to the table and whispered into Ike's ear. Ike feigned a shocked expression, panicking slightly. "Okay, notify the police, Vic."

"The police?" Ben heard, standing from his seat. "Why does he need to notify the police?"

"We can't seem to find your wife, Ben." Ike admitted. "She never went back to her dressing room."

Ben narrowed his eyes, tightening his jaw. "I knew I should never let her leave. Tear this goddamn place apart. We're going to find her and when we do, she's going to pay for it."

Ike tightened his jaw, but nodded regardless. "We will notify the police just in case she left the hotel."

"Thank you, Isaac," Ben lied, flashing a small smile. "Now, let's go look for her."


	13. Chapter 13

Ike acted like he was thoroughly concerned when Diana was suddenly “missing.” Ben, however, was infuriated. He kept cursing under his breath, threatening that “she was going to get it when they find her.” Ike wanted no more than to grab Ben by the scruff of his neck and give him a beating like he had done with Diana, but he had to be patient.

What Ike failed to provide to his two sons was that he was going to set Ben up. Ike had visited Jack Klein throughout the week. The man wanted Ben Diamond, and he was going to get him. Ike had no choice but to trust Klein for his word. There was no way he was going to keep Diana safe if Ben was a free man.

In turn, he promised Klein that he would cease illegal activity in his hotel. Ike assured it was no problem. All his troubles led back to Ben, anyway. Both men who started off on the wrong foot finally came together in hopes to bring down “The Butcher.”

Vincent and Victor were aware of Ike’s plan. Ike assumed that Ben had his suspicions, and he was going to play into that. It was better that he was getting hurt rather than Diana and his _baby_. Ike was going to be a father again, and he wasn’t going to let some man like Ben Diamond get in the way of it.

“Where the hell could she be, Isaac?!” Ben yelled, slamming his hand on the counter as they reviewed the security tapes. “One minute she’s in the lobby and the next she’s gone?! What is this?!”

Ike kept calm. “Ben, we will—”

“No, Isaac. I think you and I need to have a little chat. What do you think?”

“About what, Ben? Your wife is missing and you want to talk to _me_? What could possibly be more important?” Ike glared.

Ben smiled, resting his hand on Ike’s shoulder tightly as he narrowed his eyes. “Maybe because I know that my wife is carrying _your_ baby.”

“I suggest you take your hands off me, Ben,” Ike tightened his jaw. “Do you think I’m that stupid to sleep with your wife, no less, impregnate her? Are you kidding me?”

“I really do _not_ like liars, Isaac. Al, take this piece of shit into the car. We’re going to go for a ride.”

Before Ike could protest, he felt Al and another pair of hands bring him out to the lobby where Ray-Ray tried to step in, but was met with a strong punch to the face.

“It’s okay, Ray-Ray…” Ike sighed. He was thrown in the backseat of Ben’s car and before he could try and escape, Al slid in next to him and held a gun to his side.

“You make one move and you’re going to bleed all over this leather seat, Ike. Please, stop moving. If you didn’t do anything, why are you trying to run away?” Al asked.

“Maybe because Ben is a fucking lunatic who won’t hesitate to kill,” Ike glared.

Al laughed. “He kills you and he’s shit out of money. You run the Miramar Playa. I think you’ll be okay. Besides, you fucking Diana? She’s way out of your league.”

“And she’s way out of Ben’s, but look what happened,” Ike spat.

Ben casually slid into the car, patting the driver on his shoulder. “Take us to my mansion. Isaac and I are going to have a bit of a talk.”

**\---**

At the Miramar Playa, Diana was pacing in the living room of Ike’s room. Danny and Stevie were sitting on the couch and the older of the two had a drink in his hand as if to calm the nerves. Diana looked at the both of them before staring out the window that led to the balcony. She couldn’t believe that Ike had planned this entire thing. She just hoped that she could tell him herself that she was grateful for what he was doing.

He didn’t have to rescue her from her relationship with Ben, yet, Ike did so anyway.

A younger girl left her room and tilted her head at the sight of the stranger. Stevie glanced over at Lauren and sighed, standing from the couch.

“Lauren, go back to bed,” he said.

“Who is this?” she asked, ignoring him completely.

“Now is the not the time, okay?” Stevie walked over to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Go back to bed and then tomorrow, we’ll do whatever you want.”

“But you’re working and Danny is busy with school,” she pouted.

“We’ll plan something together,” Danny smiled. “Now, go to bed.”

Lauren sighed, giving Diana a quick glance before walking back into her bedroom. Stevie made sure the door was shut before walking back to where Diana was standing and Danny was sitting. The younger girl looked so much like Ike with the brown hair and brown eyes; she wondered how their child would look more like.

“You’re pregnant…” Danny muttered, interrupting the silence. “Is it my dad’s?”

Diana finally sat down, biting her lower lip. She nodded slowly and rested a hand on her flattened abdomen. “Yeah… It’s Ike’s. I didn’t plan for this, either of this. Once everything is settled, I’ll leave. I’ll go back home.”

Stevie shook his head. “You’re not going to leave now that you’re carrying our sibling. My dad’s in love with you. Do you really think he’ll let you leave?”

“It’s not Ike’s decision whether or not I stay,” Diana sighed. She was tired of men telling her what she could do and what she couldn’t.

“And neither is it yours to leave without allowing us, and our dad, a chance to be with your baby. You’re family now, Diana, whether you like it or not,” Danny added. “My dad hasn’t been with a woman since our mother passed away, and now, he’s in love and we can’t do anything but support him.”

“I didn’t know that I’d fall in love with him either,” Diana admitted. “I love him and I’m so sorry to have gotten him into this mess.”

“Things happen for a reason, Diana,” Stevie reassured, resting a gentle hand on her hand once he reached over.

“Ben will hurt him,” Diana mumbled, tears stinging her eyes. “He will hurt Ike and there’s no way of stopping him…”

“No, he won’t,” Danny replied. “Ben won’t hurt my dad, Diana.”

She wiped her eyes, removing her hand from beneath Stevie’s. “Yes, he will… He _knows_ … Ben knows.”


	14. Chapter 14

“I’m sorry. Ben knows?” Stevie asked, standing abruptly from the couch. “He knows about what exactly?”

“He’s a smart man… His hands would linger at my belly, and he knew I was having an affair. The only time I ever left the mansion was to go to the Miramar Playa,” Diana sighed, feeling guilty for putting Ike and his family into the mess of her relationship. “He must have deduced who it was…”

“He’s walking into a goddamn trap!” Stevie yelled, pacing the floor. “Dad’s going to get himself killed if Ben finds out that this was an entire setup!”

Danny bit his lower lip, trying to reason with his older brother. “He’s got it handled, Stevie. Ben may be good with his intuition, but dad is just as smart. If anything, he’s planned every possible scenario.”

“You don’t know that, Danny. For all we know, Ben could have already offed him and we wouldn’t have been there to save him.”

“Please,” Diana cried. “I don’t—Let’s think positive.”

“Diana’s right. Let’s have a bit more faith in dad, Stevie,” Danny stood and rested a hand on his brother’s shoulder to cease his pacing. He looked up at him and sighed, offering a soft look. “Dad will be okay, and then afterwards, we’ll give him shit for doing this on his own.”

Stevie sighed, “I’m just thinking realistically here.”

“Thinking realistically doesn’t make it the truth,” Diana responded quietly.

Danny glanced over at her and noticed the tight dress she was wearing. She shifted uncomfortably and he noticed immediately, moving away from Stevie to motion to his father’s bedroom.

“Do you want to change, Diana?”

“I don’t have any clothes—”

Danny shook his head. “Come on. I’m sure dad will love to see you lounging around in his clothes,” he smiled, trying to lessen the tension. Danny also tried to diffuse the situation by leading Diana away from Stevie while his older brother gathered his thoughts.

Diana stood in the middle of Ike’s bedroom. She looked down at his large bed and sighed, shutting her eyes and imagining cuddling with him every night. Danny snapped her out of her trance by gently resting a hand on her shoulder, causing her to flinch unexpectedly.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you,” he apologized.

“It’s okay. I’ve been jumpy lately…”

“With reason,” Danny smiled. “Here is one of dad’s button ups. You’re more than welcome to get some rest here. Stevie and I will stay here.”

Diana bit her lower lip. “Sleep here as in—”

“My dad’s bedroom, yeah,” he laughed quietly. “It’s all right. My dad told Stevie and I to take care of you, and we’re going to do just that.”

Before Danny could leave, Diana reached out to gently take ahold of his upper arm. When he turned around, he was surprised by the sudden embrace he was pulled into.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

Danny felt her shaking, so he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly, nodding his head. “You’re safe now, Diana… I promise.”

Danny shut the door to give her some privacy. Diana looked around the room and slowly removed her dress, allowing the fabric to pool around her ankles. After sliding on Ike’s shirt, she wrapped it around herself and shut her eyes, inhaling his familiar scent that lingered on his button up.

Slowly, she climbed onto his bed and lied down. For once, Diana wouldn’t have to worry about Ben barging in and attacking her like some nights. Instead, she felt safe and at ease to know that Ike was doing everything in his power to keep her safe. While she felt safe, she worried about him and what Ben was capable of doing. She just hoped that Ike had a backup plan if anything went unexpectedly.

**\---**

Danny and Stevie were sitting in the living room, staring out the large glass door that led to the balcony. The phone was resting on the coffee table and once it rang, Stevie immediately picked it up, setting his cigarette into the ashtray.

“Stevie,” Victor called.

“Victor… What’s going on?”

“Ben—He’s got your dad, Stevie,” he sighed.

“You were supposed to be with him at all times!” Stevie yelled.

Danny leaned forward, listening to the conversation between his older brother and Victor. His heart plummeted when he sensed Stevie’s concern and worry. Though, Danny promised himself to remain hopeful. He needed to think positive because he couldn’t imagine anything bad happening to his father.

“Victor—”

“Ike went with him. Didn’t question it. This was what we planned, Stevie. Your dad is okay,” Victor tried to reassure him, though he wasn’t sure if Ike would be safe. Ben was known to show no mercy for those who wronged him.

“Ben knows, Victor! He knows the baby belongs to my dad!” Stevie admitted.

“Stevie, take a breath and calm down. Ike planned this out… We have to be patient,” Victor sighed. “He will be okay.”

“You better make sure he is, Vic.” Stevie hung up the phone and stared down at it angrily. He stood from the couch and paced back and forth before he felt Danny’s hand fly to grab onto his arm.

“Stevie, sit down.”

“Ben has dad, Danny. Who knows what he could do to him?!”

“He has it handled,” Danny repeated.

“Stop saying that!” Stevie yelled, pushing his brother away from him. “He could be dead for all we know.”

“Shut up. _Shut_ up, Stevie. Of all times that you’ve had faith in dad, let this be another. Ben may be a dangerous man, but he wouldn’t have gone with him if he wasn’t confident in his plan,” Danny reasoned. “He’ll be okay!”

“You don’t know that!” Stevie argued.

“And you don’t know if he isn’t,” Danny spat. “He has done everything in his power to keep us safe, Stevie. This time is no different. You said it yourself… Diana is family now. She’s carrying our little brother or sister. We have to be strong for _her_.”

“What if—”

“It won’t,” Danny interrupted. “Dad will be okay…”


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Warning:** Violence!

Ben looked at Ike, sitting across from him at his desk. They were sitting in his study, and the silence was so eerie that Ike felt uncomfortable. For once, he wasn’t sure how tonight was going to end, but he just hoped that Jack Klein stuck by his word. All he needed was a confession from Ben and they would burst into the mansion without any problem.

“What do you want, Ben?” Ike asked, interrupting the silence.

“I think you and I both know the answer to that, Isaac.”

“It seems that we don’t, so please enlighten me.”

Ben narrowed his eyes, leaning forward. “Have you been seeing any women recently, Isaac? I know since your wife’s death—”

“Keep my wife out of this,” Ike glared.

“Touchy touchy,” he laughed. “Anyway, answer the question.”

“No. I haven’t been with anyone. Why are you so concerned about love life, Ben?”

“I think I have someone you may be interested in,” he grinned.

“And who’s that?” Ike asked, staring at him with narrowed eyes.

Ben glanced over to Al who was standing nearby and gave a subtle nod. Without hesitation, Ike fell over when he felt Al’s fist connect with his jaw. The contact was enough to cause a throbbing sensation to run across his jawline and up to his cheek.

Ike looked up at Ben, feeling Al’s hands keep Ike kneeling down. “What the hell do you want, Ben?!”

Ben rounded his desk and immediately gripped Ike’s chin roughly. He stared into the other man’s eyes, and Ike noticed the clear anger in Ben’s orbs.

“You didn’t think I’d find out that you’re fucking my wife, Isaac? Do you really think I’m _that_ naïve?” Ben glared, delivering a sharp slap across Ike’s cheek.

Ike coughed, staring up at Ben. He remained quiet, his lip now fully busted open as the blood leaked down his chin.

“Answer me!” Ben yelled. “Were you fucking my wife?!” Another hit came across Ike’s jaw, causing a cut to open across his cheekbone.

“I have nothing to say to you, Ben…” Ike replied. “Nothing at all…”

Ben fumed, though, he maintained his grin and paced back and forth in front of Ike. “Diana’s pregnant, too. But you knew that, didn’t you, Isaac? After I’m done with you, I’m going to make sure she delivers that baby and when that’s done with, I’m going to kill her and make _you_ watch.”

Ike glared, tightening his jaw. His hands curled into fists, and Ike began breathing heavily with anger running in his veins. “You will not touch her anymore, Ben. She loves me,” Ike declared.”

Ben narrowed his eyes. He grabbed the gun that was tucked into his pants at his back and hit Ike across the cheek with the end of it. Ike fell to his side, gripping his face. He could feel the cuts splitting open and the constant throbbing.

“Yet, she’s married to me,” Ben laughed.

“But she thinks about _me_ when she’s with you, Ben,” Ike coughed, spitting blood to the side. “I am _done_ doing favors for you, Ben.”

“Oh, we are _not_ done, Isaac,” Ben grinned. “Not one bit.”

Ike breathed heavily, standing up carefully. Al stepped forward, but Ben shook his head and allowed Ike to stand at full height. “If you aren’t going to kill me, Ben, that I must let you know that _Diana_ wants to be with me. You’re just holding her back.”

Ben cocked the gun, pointing it directly at Ike’s forehead. “She loves _me_! She belongs to **me**!”

Ike chuckled, stepping forward until the gun rested against his skin. “You’re not going to kill me, Ben. Without me, the Miramar Playa will plummet, and that means that you’ll be losing money. _Tons_ of it.”

“You’re right, but that doesn’t mean I won’t kill Diana. I will chop off every single part of her body and then I’m going to serve her goddamn head on a platter to you, Isaac. You better hope that the baby she is carrying is a _boy_ ,” Ben threatened. “Or else.”

“Or else what?” Ike glared.

“Want to know why my other two wives died, Isaac? It’s honestly a coincidence,” he laughed. “If you want to call it that.”

“Your other two wives died in labor. How ironic. But what is different about them and Diana is that Diana is _much_ stronger than you think, Ben,” Ike retaliated.

“Not if I have anything to do about it like my other wives,” Ben smiled wickedly. He set the gun on the table behind him and looked at Ike, staring into his eyes. “You’re right… I won’t kill you, Isaac.”

“What the fuck does that mean, Ben?” he asked.

Ben chuckled, leaning back against the edge of his desk. Al glanced between the two and grinned, rubbing his knuckles gently. “It means when I found out that our babies were going to be _girls_ , I had to end them. You see, I need a **boy**. I need someone to carry on my legacy when I’m gone. A woman wouldn’t be able to do what I do, Isaac. So, they had to go. Plus, they were very whine. It was annoying.”

Ike widened his eyes, taking a step back. “Y—You killed your past two wives because they couldn’t give you a boy?”

Ben smiled, “They call me The Butcher for a reason, Isaac.”

“You sonofabitch!” Ike tackled Ben to the floor, not caring whether or not Al would have time to retrieve the gun. He couldn’t hold his anger in any longer.

Every punch he threw at Ben was not only for the beatings Diana had to endure, but also the innocent deaths of his past wives and children. It was sickening, and Ike had lost control that he didn’t notice the police entering the study.

Jack Klein was the one to gently pull Ike off an unconscious Ben. He put his hands up in the air and Ike calmed down, tears stinging his eyes as his knuckles were throbbing along with his face.

“We got him, Ike…” Klein said. “We got him.”

Ike tightened his jaw and pulled Ben up from the collar of his shirt. He held him against the wall and slapped him awake, staring into the eyes of the man that had caused him so much trouble in the past few years.

“Wake up, Ben.”

“Ike—” Klein called, “Hurry it up.”

Ben awoke with a grunt, opening his eyes to look at Ike. He chuckled, coughing up blood. “You can’t keep me in jail forever, Isaac… You forget that I have people on the inside…”

“You just confessed to killing two of your _pregnant_ wives, Ben. Your life is ruined and you won’t ever see life past jail,” Ike spat.

Ben glared, “Fuck you, Isaac.”

“I will be doing that with your _newly_ single **ex** -wife, Diana,” Ike grinned. “You didn’t win this time, Ben. Rot in fucking jail, asshole.” Ike pushed him roughly into Jack Klein who handcuffed him, tightening the cuffs around Ben’s wrists.

“Ike—”

“You wanted Ben Diamond… You got Ben Diamond,” Ike interrupted.

Klein nodded, shaking his head. “Thank you. Be careful from now on. You did me a favor, but I won’t let anything else slide,” he threatened.

Ike smiled, “I’ve got a new partner and we’re starting fresh, Klein. You can have my word that I won’t deal with business the way I have with Ben.”

The two walked out into the main yard of Ben’s mansion. Just before Ben was put into the back of the police car, he looked over to Ike and grinned. “Keep my wife safe for me.”

“She’s not your wife. Not anymore. And guess what, Ben?” Ike chuckled.

“What?”

“Guess who gets all of your money?”

The door shut in Ben’s face before he had the chance to reply, but Ike could sense the anger in the man’s eyes as he yelled and threw a fit in the back of the police car. Ike turned to Jack Klein and nodded once, “Give him hell.”

“Oh, believe me, Ike… I will.”

“Good. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have someone I need to meet with…” Ike said.

“Of course, Ike. I hope we don’t cross paths unless I go to your hotel for a vacation.”

“Whatever you need, Klein, I will accommodate.”

Klein smiled, shaking the other man’s hand. “Thank you, Ike. Have a good night. We can all sleep a bit better now that Ben Diamond is in police custody. He’s going to spend the rest of his life in jail. I can guarantee you that.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are finally at the end of this story! Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me! The comments, the favorites... They all inspired me to continue writing, so thank you! I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I loved writing it! :-)
> 
>  **Warning:** SMUT!!!

Diana was in a deep slumber throughout the night. It had been a long time she had gotten a good night’s sleep, but even in her dreams, she wondered if Ike was all right. Deep down, though, she knew he was more than capable of handling himself, just like what Danny said. Ben used his anger as a scare tactic, but when going up against Ike, it was useless. Ike was much more articulate and thought out than Ben was.

She dreamt of a life with Ike. She could feel his arms around her and feel his breath against her skin. Diana’s hands moved to rest on her abdomen, knowing that in just a short amount of time, she was going to grow a baby bump. Since finding out she was pregnant, she hadn’t visited the doctor and hoped that it would change soon.

Suddenly, she felt the bed dip and out of instinct, Diana opened her eyes and clutched herself tighter around the blanket. She imagined she was back in Ben’s mansion, feeling him near closer and closer to her as she slept. However, when the hand that gently touched her shoulder brought her comfort rather than fear, Diana turned around and noticed Ike.

“Ike…” she felt tears immediately sting her eyes and almost instantly, she sat up and enveloped him in a tight embrace. “Oh my god, you’re okay…”

Ike smiled, his arms settling around her frame. “I’m right here, baby… You’re safe now, okay?”

Diana pulled away slowly, looking up at him. She noticed the bruises and dried blood that littered across his face in the dim lightly. Ike reached over to turn the lamp on, staring into her beautiful eyes as he tilted his head.

“Ike… You’re—”

“Beat up?” he chuckled, “I know.”

“Is Ben…”

“Gone,” Ike finished. “Jack Klein will make sure he rots in prison… It’s over, Diana. You’re safe. I promise.”

“You did all of this for me…” she whispered, wiping her eyes. “Why?”

Ike cupped her cheek, inching closer. “Because I love you,” he whispered back, pecking her lips lightly. As Ike pulled away, Diana noticed the subtle flinch of pain and she slowly slid off the bed to take his hand.

“Where are we going?” he asked.

“I’m going to patch you up,” she smiled.

Ike stood from the bed and followed her into his bathroom. He noticed the shirt she was wearing and immediately, he grinned. “You’re wearing my shirt. It looks great on you.”

Diana blushed, turning around once she turned the light on. “Thank you… It’s very comfortable, and it smells a lot like you.”

“I hope that’s a good thing…”

“A very good thing because I love you too,” she admitted.

“You do?” Ike asked, shocked.

“I do, Ike… You showed me what it’s like to be loved by a man, to be treated by a man… I always dreamt of being a mother, having a wonderful, loving family, and then you showed up and made me realize that my life was Ben was not a life I wanted to live,” Diana smiled. “You’re _it_ , Isaac Evans.”

“Good, because you’re mine now,” he chuckled, kissing her forehead lightly. “You and this baby will be in good hands.”

“I know,” Diana said softly, running her hands across his chest lightly. “Now, let’s clean you up.”

Ike remained quiet while she cleaned his wounds. He flinched periodically when he felt the contents of the rubbing alcohol press against his opened cuts, but he kept his hands on her hips and his eyes staring down at her carefully. He was stuck in a trance that he never wanted to deviate from.

“Diana?” he whispered, flinching as she cleaned the cut on his lip.

“Yes?”

“Move in with me?”

Diana hesitated. The last time she rushed a relationship, it ended horribly because Ben had promised her one thing which proved to be the complete opposite. Though, with Ike, she knew that what he meant was the truth. There was the natural charm about him, but overall, he meant every word he said.

“Are you sure?”

“Positive,” he replied.

“Only if you’re okay with it,” Diana blushed.

“I want you with me… I want this baby with you and I too…”

Diana tossed the q-tip into the trash and wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on her toes as his arms snaked around her frame. He lifted her slightly and held her close to his chest, burying his face gently against her neck.

“You make me happy, Ike…”

“You deserve to be happy, Diana.”

Ike led Diana back to his bedroom when she finished cleaning his cuts. She lied down and watched him remove his clothes until he was wearing just his boxers. He lied with her and wrapped his arms around her tightly, keeping her close. Slowly, though, he hovered above her and propped himself onto one hand as the other ran down her side to her exposed leg.

“Diana?” he whispered into the dim lighting.

“Yes, Ike?”

“Can I kiss you?”

Diana blushed, “Of course, but I don’t know how much you can take with your busted lip.”

“I’ll manage. I’ve missed you.” Ike settled between her legs and grabbed her leg to hook around his hip, leaning down to press his lips against her own. There was a slight pain once her lips pressed against his cut, but he ignored it. Her lips were practically begging to be kissed.

“Ike…” she whimpered, feeling his hips slowly push against hers. Diana rolled her hips upwards, reaching down to dip her fingertips into the waistband of his boxers.

“I want you,” he whispered. “I want you so badly…”

“Take me,” she assured him. “Take me, Ike…”

Ike smiled, pulling from the kiss to unbutton her shirt. Once it was opened, he pulled it away from her frame and ran his large hands down to her breasts where he squeezed it gently. Diana whimpered, keeping her noises to a quiet whisper to prevent his daughter from waking.

“You are _gorgeous_ ,” he complimented. “So beautiful, Diana…”

As Ike’s hips pressed against her own, Diana felt his manhood already throbbing and hard. She reached down to tug down her panties as Ike pushed his boxers down her legs to allow his cock to spring free. With another roll of his hips, he felt his tip brush against her now leaking slit where Diana quietly moaned at the contact.

“I need you…” Diana begged. “Please…”

Ike smiled, grasping his cock and slowly sliding into her tight heat. He groaned, bottoming out completely before he decided to remain still. Ike rested his hands at either side of her head and leaned down to kiss her forehead lightly. His back muscles contracted with each thrust of his hips, and Diana reached up to gently run her fingertips down his soft back.

“Ike…” she moaned, shutting her eyes.

Ike reveled in her warm heat. It had been so long since was able to do this with her and now that she was officially his, Ike was going to make sure that they had sex at least once a day. She was irresistible and Ike was going to tell her every day for the rest of his life.

Slowly, Ike’s pace began to quicken. Diana found it hard to keep her noises at bay, so she leaned up to gently bite down onto his collarbone where she let out a quiet, strained moan. She felt every inch of his manhood slide along her walls, the veins on his cock throbbing against her snug walls.

“Ike… I’m close, baby…”

Ike looked down at her, cupping her cheek as his hips demanded control and his thrusts hardened. “Come for me, Diana…”

At his order, Diana shut her eyes and allowed herself to let go. As much as she was excited about the sex, she was also excited to be able to cuddle with him afterwards. She didn’t have to worry about Ben finding out where she had been or who she was with.

Diana was free now.

Ike felt her walls tighten even further. With a few thrusts, he finally released. He buried his face against her neck and groaned, delivering short movements before he finally pulled out. Ike collapsed next to her and collected her into his arms where her head rested comfortably against his chest.

“I love you,” Diana whispered.

“I love you too,” Ike smiled.

He reached down to rest a hand on her abdomen, leaning down to place a gentle kiss. “And I love you too, whoever you are in there…”

Diana felt her heart swell, reaching down to run her hands through his hair as he continued to talk to her belly.

“I promise to always be there for you and your mom,” Ike reassured. “If you’re a girl, you’re never dating a man until you’re forty—just like Lauren. If you’re a boy, I’m going to teach you all the wonders of the Miramar Playa,” he teased.

Diana giggled, looking down at him. “We’re having a baby…”

Ike nodded, “We are.”

Diana smiled, shutting her eyes as his hand caressed her belly. She finally felt content at where she was at life and who knew that it took being in a toxic relationship and indulging in adultery to find out what she needed.

As she was slowly falling asleep, she heard Ike whisper quietly, “You and your mom are going to be safe with me… _Always_ …”

**\---**

**THE END**


End file.
